Question
- Leaving Cert. Geography (Higher) 2011: Part Two Q4 A-C
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Answer
In this answer I will contrast the development of agriculture in the West of Ireland with the development of agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area.
Agriculture in the West of Ireland is hindered by a number of factors such as relief and climate. The relief of the West of Ireland has negatively affected the development of agriculture. The West of Ireland is dominated by the mountain ranges of Galway and Mayo. This upland relief limits agricultural productivity and hinders mechanisation. The climate of the Western region, like the rest of Ireland, is cool temperate oceanic. The climate is mild, wet throughout the year and very windy. This is directly linked to the prevailing south westerly winds and frontal depressions, which are forced to rise over the mountainous western coastline. These create relief rainfall especially over the mountains. Precipitation can be higher than 1,500 and 2,000 mm annually, with more than 250 days of rain in the year. This upland relief and heavy rainfall results in waterlogged soils. Peat soils are not very fertile and there are large areas of blanket bog in the Western region. The heavy rainfall also leads to leaching. As a result of this harsh environment farm production in the Western region is based on pastoral farming, especially sheep in the upland areas and cattle rearing on the lower ground. Very little land in the region is suitable for the production of crops. It is because of the scale of these problems that the region receives EU assistance in the form of the CAP.
In contrast, relief and climate have combined to make agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area very profitable. There is a variety of intensive commercial agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area. This is due to the generally low lying relief of the area, which has enabled farmers to create large regular fields suitable for mechanised farming. The climate of the region, like the West is cool temperate oceanic but it is warmer and drier than the West of Ireland. Frost is rare due to the influence of the Irish sea, which is an advantage for crop growing. The region contains over 1,500 farms and produces 12% of Ireland’s wheat crop as well as over 20% of Ireland’s potatoes. There is a variety of fertile soils in the Greater Dublin Area. In North county Dublin at Rush and Lusk, light sandy soils are used for market gardening. The soil heats up quickly in Spring and is easily worked. Salad vegetables are grown in greenhouses, while cabbage, onions and potatoes are grown in the large fields. Human factors such as the size of the population have also contributed to the development of agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area. The Greater Dublin region has over one million people. Dublin city is the largest market in the country. This has encouraged the development of commercial farming in the region.
Agriculture in the West of Ireland is hindered by a number of factors such as relief and climate. The relief of the West of Ireland has negatively affected the development of agriculture. The West of Ireland is dominated by the mountain ranges of Galway and Mayo. This upland relief limits agricultural productivity and hinders mechanisation. The climate of the Western region, like the rest of Ireland, is cool temperate oceanic. The climate is mild, wet throughout the year and very windy. This is directly linked to the prevailing south westerly winds and frontal depressions, which are forced to rise over the mountainous western coastline. These create relief rainfall especially over the mountains. Precipitation can be higher than 1,500 and 2,000 mm annually, with more than 250 days of rain in the year. This upland relief and heavy rainfall results in waterlogged soils. Peat soils are not very fertile and there are large areas of blanket bog in the Western region. The heavy rainfall also leads to leaching. As a result of this harsh environment farm production in the Western region is based on pastoral farming, especially sheep in the upland areas and cattle rearing on the lower ground. Very little land in the region is suitable for the production of crops. It is because of the scale of these problems that the region receives EU assistance in the form of the CAP.
In contrast, relief and climate have combined to make agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area very profitable. There is a variety of intensive commercial agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area. This is due to the generally low lying relief of the area, which has enabled farmers to create large regular fields suitable for mechanised farming. The climate of the region, like the West is cool temperate oceanic but it is warmer and drier than the West of Ireland. Frost is rare due to the influence of the Irish sea, which is an advantage for crop growing. The region contains over 1,500 farms and produces 12% of Ireland’s wheat crop as well as over 20% of Ireland’s potatoes. There is a variety of fertile soils in the Greater Dublin Area. In North county Dublin at Rush and Lusk, light sandy soils are used for market gardening. The soil heats up quickly in Spring and is easily worked. Salad vegetables are grown in greenhouses, while cabbage, onions and potatoes are grown in the large fields. Human factors such as the size of the population have also contributed to the development of agriculture in the Greater Dublin Area. The Greater Dublin region has over one million people. Dublin city is the largest market in the country. This has encouraged the development of commercial farming in the region.