▁Red ▁Sand stone ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁distinct ive ▁Upper ▁Dev onian – Lower ▁Car bon ifer ous ▁unit ▁in ▁southern ▁Ireland . ▁It ▁contains ▁non - red ▁l ith ologies , ▁green ▁mud st ones , ▁s ilt st ones , ▁fine ▁sand st ones ▁and ▁yellow ▁sand st ones . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁foss il ▁assemb lage ▁containing ▁Cy clo st igma ▁ ▁and ▁Arch ae opter is ▁and ▁Arch ae opter is ▁hi bern ica . ▁ ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁is ▁princip ally ▁lim estone ▁of ▁the ▁upper ▁and ▁lower ▁group , ▁corresponding ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁A ▁large ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁east ▁contains ▁b eds ▁of ▁coal , ▁surrounded ▁by ▁lim estone ▁str ata , ▁altern ated ▁with ▁sh ale , ▁arg il lace ous ▁iron stone , ▁and ▁sand stone . ▁This ▁occurs ▁east ward ▁of ▁the ▁N ore ▁around ▁Castle com er , ▁along ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁La ois . ▁It ▁is ▁generally ▁accompanied ▁by ▁cul m , ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁extens ively ▁for ▁burning ▁l ime . ▁ ▁The ▁natural ▁environment ▁and ▁resources ▁of ▁County ▁Kil ken ny ▁includes ▁its ▁rivers , ▁wild life ▁( m amm als , ▁birds , ▁plants ), ▁wood lands , ▁h ed ger ows , ▁and ▁diverse ▁land sc apes ▁and ▁ge ological ▁features . ▁The ▁main ▁land ▁use ▁is ▁grass land , ▁da iry ▁far ming ▁and ▁till age ▁far ming ▁especially ▁around ▁Kil ken ny ▁City ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁fert ile ▁central ▁plain ▁of