Geoscience Reference
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hinterland, and the ice from Scotland that carried the celebrated
microgranite from Ailsa Craig as small microerratics.
The yacht glided past the local landmark of Whiterock, so
named because of the pale granite juxtaposed against the darker
Ordovician sediments into which it was intruded some 450 million
years ago during the closing of the Iapetus Ocean - a forerunner of the
present Atlantic. Nearby, bathers emerged from large unwieldy
bathing machines and ran like crabs over the coarse shingle to take
the waters. Other, less hardy souls walked along the beach towards
the assorted sheds, some of which served as makeshift cafes. Perched
on some distant rocks a large dark shag attempted to eat rather too
many fish.
Not concerned with the dalliances of relaxing city folk, the two
men began their search for microorganisms called coccoliths. One
would imagine them to be marine biologists; but one would be very
far from the truth. While both were academics employed by Trinity
College Dublin, one was the assistant to the Professor of Botany, while
the other was assistant to the grandly titled Professor of Natural
and Experimental Philosophy (who would now be called the rather
blander Professor of Physics in younger universities). The former was
Henry Horatio Dixon and the latter John Joly (Figure
12.1
), who was
the following year appointed Professor of Geology at Trinity College.
Dixon had to wait eight further years before he succeeded as Professor
of Botany at the same institution. They met at university and became
life-long friends. In 1888 they travelled widely together as young men
on the Continent, and in particular enjoyed climbing in the Alps. They
both became proficient yachtsmen and sailed frequently in the west
of Ireland, and off Scotland and Norway. Soon after their Killiney trips
Joly decided that Marling-Spike was too small, and with a bank
balance swollen with his new professorial salary of £500 per annum
purchased the larger craft Woodcock. They both served as
Commissioners of Irish Lights, which afforded them the chance to
sail Ireland's coastal waters during the annual tour of inspection. Joly
was fascinated by the sea, and later carried out some work for the
