Until recently Ireland has been regarded as a comparatively benign environment as far as landslides are concerned. However events in Derrybrien, County Galway and Pollatomish, County Mayo in 2003 and in Dún Chaoin, County Kerry in April 2007 (Click here for a gallery of images from these events) indicated the potential damage that can occur because of landslide activity. It is likely that in the future there will be increased landslide activity as development in Ireland increases and expands into potentially hazardous areas. It is also predicted that climate change will result in increased landslide hazard. It is therefore important to act now to curb the cost of future landslide hazards through better understanding and mapping of these hazards and by improving the capability to mitigate and manage these natural disasters.The National Database of Past Landslide Events is one part of the work undertaken by the Irish Landslides Working Group (ILWG). Click here for more information.

Fundamental to the study of landslide hazard in Ireland is information on the extent of the problem in the past. This involves a listing of past events with data, where available, on location, landslide type, materials, causes, and impacts. This data can then be used to assess landslide hazard in the future by defining areas or zones which might be susceptible to landsliding. From this baseline information risk assessment may be undertaken and a strategy for mitigation put in place.
To date there has been no compiled dataset on slope instability in Ireland. This in part reflects the limited scale of the problem in the past which in turn impacts on resources availability to undertake such research. The aim of the database being developed in GSI is to assemble as much information as possible from whatever source to produce a national map of landslide events with key attribute data, where possible, for each.


The structure of the database is as follows:

1. Landslide_Event

2. Landslide_Weather

3. Landslide_Terrain

4. Landslide_Dimensions

5. Landslide_Reference

6. Landslide_Mechanism

7. Landslide_Location

8. Landslide_Impacts

9. Landslide_Land_Use

                                                                                 
Population of this database is an ongoing process and we would welcome any additional information on recent events. Please click here if you have any information to submit online