Introduction to Ireland
Geography
The lowlands cover most of central Ireland. They include some wooded areas but consist principally of gently rolling farmlands, which are mainly pasture. They also include peat bogs (former swamps composed of partly decayed plants). Peat bogs cover about a tenth of Ireland. Most of them are located in the central and western parts of the country.
Most of Ireland's mountains rise near the coasts and border the lowlands. The chief mountain ranges are the Donegal Mountains in the northwest, the Mountains of Mayo and the Mountains of Connemara |
|
>> Map of Ireland |
in the west, the Mountains of Kerry in the southwest, and the Wicklow Mountains in the east. Ireland's highest peak, 1,041-meter Carrauntoohill, rises in the Mountains of Kerry.
Many inlets and bays cut deeply into the west coast of Ireland. Because of them, no point in the country is more than 110 kilometers from the sea. Parts of the coast are lined with high cliffs of solid rock. Two large bays on the west coast, Galway Bay and the mouth of the River Shannon, provide harbours for the ports of Galway and Limerick. Other important bays on the country's west coast include Bantry, Clew, Dingle, Donegal, and Sligo bays. Hundreds of small islands lie off the west coast of Ireland. The largest of these islands include Achill Island, the Aran Islands, and Valentia Island.
The south and east coasts are straighter and less rugged than the west coast. On the south coast, the ports of Cork and Waterford lie on excellent natural harbours. Dublin Bay, on the east coast, provides a harbour for Dublin, the chief Irish port.
River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland. The Shannon begins in northwestern Ireland and flows southwest 370 kilometers into the Atlantic Ocean. The River Liffey begins in the Wicklow Mountains, winds northeast 121 kilometers, and flows into the Irish Sea at Dublin. Its mouth forms Dublin Bay. Other Irish rivers include the Barrow, Nore, and Suir in the southeast; the Boyne in the northeast; and the Moy in the northwest.
Most of Ireland's lakes lie in the west. The lakes are called loughs (pronounced lahks). Three major lakes--Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg--lie along the course of the River Shannon. The scenic Lakes of Killarney in the southwest consist of Lower Lake, Muckross Lake, and Upper Lake.
Top | Previous Page | Next page |
