ABSTRACT
The earliest diverse and relatively abundant Lower Carboniferous crinoid faunas in western Europe are from mixed carbonate/siliciclastic strata in southeastern Ireland, southwestern England, and Belgium. This early Late Tournaisian (carina Zone) fauna is most abundant and best known at Hook Head, Co. Wexford, Ireland. Systematics, stratigraphie distribution, paleoecology, and taphonomy of this fauna have been re-examined.
