Isotopic U–Pb ages of zircon and monazite from the Leinster Granite, southeast Ireland

Abstract A more precise age for the synkinematic emplacement of the large S-type Leinster batholith (southeast Ireland) has been obtained by U–Pb dating of zircon and monazite separates from the two main granite varieties of the Northern Pluton. A concordant age of 405±2 Ma derived from monazite is considered to reflect both the age of intrusion and the main regional deformation event (D1) in southeast Ireland. The monazite age is in good agreement with an earlier, less precise whole-rock Rb–Sr isochron determination. The zircon data indicate recent Pb loss effects and the existence of a small component of inherited radiogenic Pb derived from a crustal precursor during the generation of the batholith.