1.
Republic of Ireland
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Ireland, also known as the Republic of Ireland, is a sovereign state in north-western Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, which is located on the part of the island. The state shares its land border with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the Celtic Sea to the south, Saint Georges Channel to the south-east, and it is a unitary, parliamentary republic. The head of government is the Taoiseach, who is elected by the Dáil and appointed by the President, the state was created as the Irish Free State in 1922 as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It was officially declared a republic in 1949, following the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955. It joined the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union, after joining the EEC, Ireland enacted a series of liberal economic policies that resulted in rapid economic growth. The country achieved considerable prosperity between the years of 1995 and 2007, which known as the Celtic Tiger period. This was halted by a financial crisis that began in 2008. However, as the Irish economy was the fastest growing in the EU in 2015, Ireland is again quickly ascending league tables comparing wealth and prosperity internationally. For example, in 2015, Ireland was ranked as the joint sixth most developed country in the world by the United Nations Human Development Index and it also performs well in several national performance metrics, including freedom of the press, economic freedom and civil liberties. Ireland is a member of the European Union and is a member of the Council of Europe. The 1922 state, comprising 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland, was styled, the Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, provides that the name of the State is Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland. Section 2 of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 states, It is hereby declared that the description of the State shall be the Republic of Ireland. The 1948 Act does not name the state as Republic of Ireland, because to have done so would have put it in conflict with the Constitution. The government of the United Kingdom used the name Eire, and, from 1949, Republic of Ireland, for the state, as well as Ireland, Éire or the Republic of Ireland, the state is also referred to as the Republic, Southern Ireland or the South. In an Irish republican context it is referred to as the Free State or the 26 Counties. From the Act of Union on 1 January 1801, until 6 December 1922, during the Great Famine, from 1845 to 1849, the islands population of over 8 million fell by 30%
2.
Summit
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A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a maximum in elevation. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak, and zenith are synonymous, the UIAA definition is that a summit is independent if it has a prominence of 30 metres or more, it is a mountain if it has a prominence of at least 300 metres. This can be summarised as follows, A pyramidal peak is an exaggerated form produced by ice erosion of a mountain top, Summit may also refer to the highest point along a line, trail, or route. In many parts of the western United States, the term refers to the highest point along a road, highway. For example, the highest point along Interstate 80 in California is referred to as Donner Summit while the highest point on Interstate 5 is Siskiyou Mountain Summit, geoid Hill List of highest mountains Maxima and minima Nadir Summit accordance Peak finder
3.
Mountain range
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A mountain range is a geographic area containing numerous geologically related mountains. A mountain system or system of ranges, sometimes is used to combine several geological features that are geographically related. Mountain ranges are usually segmented by highlands or mountain passes and valleys, individual mountains within the same mountain range do not necessarily have the same geologic structure or petrology. They may be a mix of different orogenic expressions and terranes, for example thrust sheets, uplifted blocks, fold mountains, most geologically young mountain ranges on the Earths land surface are associated with either the Pacific Ring of Fire or the Alpide Belt. The Andes is 7,000 kilometres long and is considered the worlds longest mountain system. The Alpide belt includes Indonesia and southeast Asia, through the Himalaya, the belt also includes other European and Asian mountain ranges. The Himalayas contain the highest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest, mountain ranges outside of these two systems include the Arctic Cordillera, the Urals, the Appalachians, the Scandinavian Mountains, the Altai Mountains and the Hijaz Mountains. If the definition of a range is stretched to include underwater mountains. The mountain systems of the earth are characterized by a tree structure, the sub-range relationship is often expressed as a parent-child relationship. For example, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Blue Ridge Mountains are sub-ranges of the Appalachian Mountains, equivalently, the Appalachians are the parent of the White Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains, and the White Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains are children of the Appalachians. The position of mountains influences climate, such as rain or snow, when air masses move up and over mountains, the air cools producing orographic precipitation. As the air descends on the side, it warms again and is drier. Often, a shadow will affect the leeward side of a range. Mountain ranges are constantly subjected to forces which work to tear them down. Erosion is at work while the mountains are being uplifted and long after until the mountains are reduced to low hills, rivers are traditionally believed to be the principle erosive factor on mountain ranges, with their ability of bedrock incision and sediment transport. The rugged topography of a range is the product of erosion. The basins adjacent to a mountain range are filled with sediments which are buried and turned into sedimentary rock. The early Cenozoic uplift of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado provides an example and this mass of rock was removed as the range was actively undergoing uplift
4.
Clermont Carn
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This transmission site in County Louth, was opened in 1981 to provide UHF television coverage for the North East of the Republic of Ireland, counties Louth, Meath, and North county Dublin. However, with the site being less than 1 km from the border it was clear that this transmitter would be used to provide RTÉ services into Northern Ireland, initially the two channels RTÉ1 and RTÉ2 were carried on Ch52 and Ch56 with TV3 and TG4 following later. In 1982, a 2M Amateur Radio Repeater was installed, FM radio transmission was also added providing coverage of the five national channels to a wide area. In 2002 a new cable-stayed mast 120m tall was erected, this greatly improved coverage into Northern Ireland, the existing self-supporting tower was truncated, and is now only used for microwave links and the Amateur Radio Repeater. DAB, digital radio broadcasting from Clermont Carn began in 2006, today the Irish digital television service Saorview is broadcast from here to a sizeable area including a large tract of Northern Ireland, with a good signal being received in Belfast and beyond
5.
Wicklow Mountains
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The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in Ireland. They occupy the centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into Counties Dublin, Wexford. Where the mountains extend into County Dublin, they are known locally as the Dublin Mountains, the highest peak is Lugnaquilla at 925 metres. The mountains are composed of granite surrounded by an envelope of mica-schist. They were pushed up during the Caledonian orogeny at the start of the Devonian period and form part of the Leinster Chain, the mountains owe much of their present topography to the effects of the last ice age, which deepened the valleys and created corrie and ribbon lakes. Copper and lead have been the main metals mined in the mountains, several major river systems have their source in the mountains, such as the Liffey, Dargle, Slaney and Avoca rivers. Powerscourt Waterfall is the tallest in Ireland at 121 metres, a number of these rivers have been harnessed to create reservoirs for drinking water for Dublin and its surroundings. The Wicklow Mountains experience a temperate climate with mild, damp summers and cool. The dominant habitat of the consists of blanket bog, heath. The uplands support a number of species, including merlin. The valleys are a mixture of coniferous and deciduous woodland, the mountains have been inhabited since Neolithic times and a number of typical monuments, in particular a series of passage tombs, survive to the present day. The monastery at Glendalough, founded in the late 6th century by Saint Kevin, was an important centre of the Early Church in Ireland, following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, the Wicklow Mountains became a stronghold and hiding place for Irish clans opposed to English rule. The OByrne and OToole families carried out a campaign of harassment against the settlers for almost five centuries, later the mountains harboured rebels during the 1798 Rising. The Wicklow Mountains continue to be an attraction for tourism. The entire upland area is designated as a Special Area of Conservation, the Wicklow Mountains National Park was established in 1991 to conserve the local biodiversity and landscape. The Wicklow Mountains take their name from County Wicklow which in turn takes its name from Wicklow town, the origin of the name is from the Danish Wykynglo or Wykinlo. The Irish name for Wicklow, Cill Mhantáin, means Church of Mantan, Wicklow was not established as a county until 1606, prior to that it had been part of County Dublin. An early name for the area of the Wicklow Mountains was Cualu
6.
Bray Head
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Bray Head is a 241 m hill and headland located in northern County Wicklow, Ireland, between the towns of Bray and Greystones. It forms part of the Wicklow Mountains and is a spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a cross which was placed there in 1950 during the holy year. The headland and adjacent lands were designated under a Special Amenity Area Order in March 2008. The most direct way to reach the cross at the top is via a footpath that begins just outside the free car park on the lower, northern slopes. This is a walk for a fit person. The footpath, after the section with cut steps, is a rough path formed by rainwater. A more gradual route can be taken from the Southern Cross, by Bray Golf Club, the Dublin-Wicklow railway line runs outside of Bray Head along the coast, sometimes travelling within feet of the cliffs. This line, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is referred to as Brunels Folly, the line has had to be diverted on four occasions. It is approximately a 45 minute rail trip between Dublin and Bray Head, on the morning of the 14th of April 2012 there was a waterspout just off the coast of Bray Head. The slate sea-cliffs at Bray Head have been established as a minor rock-climbing location since the 1970s, the 2009 guidebook lists 27 single-pitch climbs, generally in the lower grades, up to HVS. Essay on Bray Head Bray Head on Irelandscape
7.
Carrickgollogan
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Carrickgollogan is a hill in County Dublin in Republic of Ireland. It is 276 metres high and rises above the village of Shankill on the edge of the Dublin Mountains. Its summit is noted for the views it offers of south Dublin. The geological composition of the summit is predominantly quartzite, the high ground is a mixture of heathland and commercial forestry while the lower slopes are mainly farmland. The area around the summit includes a number of sites of historical interest including the lead works at Ballycorus. The most distinctive landmark to the north of the summit is the ruins of the chimney of the former lead works at Ballycorus. Two veins of lead and a vein of silver were worked during this period, however, most of the activity at Ballycorus occurred at the smelting facility constructed by MCI in the valley below the mine workings. Here, lead from Ballycorus, as well as lead mines in counties Donegal, Wicklow. After the mine was exhausted in the 1860s, the facilities continued to receive and process ore from MCIs mines at Glendalough. In the 1880s it was no commercially viable to process Irish ores. A process had been discovered in the 1770s whereby lead could be extracted from the emitted by reverberatory furnaces if the vapours could be trapped long enough to precipitate the lead. To this end a flue 1 1⁄4 miles long running from the lead works, the distinctive granite flue chimney with its external spiral staircase and viewing platform quickly became a noted landmark and was marked on Admiralty charts as a point of reference for mariners. Photographic records show that the chimney was originally much taller with an extra brick section, now dismantled. It is the example of such a flue and chimney to have been built in Ireland. Weston St. John Joyce noted that the flue was stated to be one of the best constructed in the United Kingdom. The precipitated lead deposits were scraped out of the flue by hand, as well as the remains of the flue chimney, a number of buildings from the smelting works situated in the valley below also survive to the present day. These industrial buildings, all built from granite, include furnaces, purification tanks, lime kilns, stores, workers cottages, many of these buildings are now private residences. A shot tower, built in 1857, has also survived, the church dates from Norman times but the presence of the round tower and ringfort indicates that the site dates back to early Christian times
8.
Djouce
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Djouce, sometimes referred to as Djouce Mountain, is a mountain situated in the northeastern section of the Wicklow Mountains. Powerscourt Waterfall, the highest waterfall in Ireland, lies on its eastern slope, Djouce overlooks to the west it the highlands around the Sally Gap, to the east the Roundwood / Calary Bog plateau. It also overlooks the lake of Lough Tay to the southwest. It is bounded to the west by the R115, to the south by the R759 and its southern and eastern flanks are heavily forested, up to and above the 2,000 feet contour, mainly with Sitka spruce plantations. As these trees are clearfelled a policy of the reinstatement of native species is being pursued. The southern shoulder of Djouce is known as White Hill, list of mountains in Ireland Wicklow Mountains Wicklow Way Wicklow Mountains National Park
9.
Great Sugar Loaf
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The Great Sugar Loaf, also known as the Big Sugar Loaf and often as simply the Sugar Loaf, is a mountain in east County Wicklow in Ireland. The mountain is located between Delgany and Kilmacanogue, and just to the north of the Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve, the smaller Little Sugar Loaf lies to the east. Though only 501 metres high, the Great Sugar Loafs isolation from other hills, steep slopes, due to its height relative to the surrounding landscape, the hill qualifies as a Marilyn. The Great Sugar Loaf is composed of Cambrian quartzite, in contrast to the mountains to the west. Popularly mistaken for a volcano, it is in fact an erosion-resistant metamorphosed sedimentary deposit from the deep sea
10.
Kilmashogue
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Kilmashogue or Kilmashoge is a mountain in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown county in Ireland. It is 408 metres high and forms part of the group of hills in the Dublin Mountains which comprises Two Rock, Three Rock, Kilmashogue and Tibradden Mountains. The forest plantation on its slope, which is composed mainly of Sitka spruce, Scots pine and beech, is a habitat for Sika deer, hares, rabbits. A number of prehistoric monuments can be found on the slopes of the mountain, the Placenames Branch of the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs gives the origin of the name Kilmashogue as meaning “Church of Saint Mochióg”. In the nineteenth century, the antiquarian Patrick Weston Joyce reported that he had found the remains of a church, consisting of just a few walls. Subsequent attempts to locate this site have been unsuccessful, in the chapel of nearby St Columbas college is an early Christian cross which was found on the mountain and is believed to have come from the church reported by Joyce. It was once believed that Kilmashogue was the site of a battle between the Irish and the Vikings, described in the Annals of the Four Masters, that place in AD917. Subsequent research has shown that this event took place near the River Liffey, on the northern slopes, close to the forest recreation area car park, is the remains of a wedge tomb. It was excavated in 1953 by H. E. Kilbride-Jones, aided by Rúaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, the tomb consists of two chambers which were originally covered by a cairn of stones. Some of this material can be scattered around the tomb area. However, many of the stones were used as material for the walls built nearby. The main chamber is 4 metres long and 1.5 metres wide and is formed by a triple-walled gallery and this triple-walling is an unusual feature, most wedge tombs are double-walled. It faces towards the summit of Montpelier Hill where there stood a passage tomb. At some point during the Bronze Age, parts of the chamber were dismantled and used for the construction of three stone-lined cists which were inserted into the cairn material, one cist has had its capstone moved aside so that its chamber is visible. Two middle Bronze Age food vessels and a late Bronze Age cinerary urn were found in the cists during the excavation, between Kilmashogue and Tibradden Mountains lies Kellys Glen. A spa was discovered here around 1748 but its distance from the city, on the south-eastern slopes of Kilmashogue, in the saddle between Two Rock Mountain, is a ruin known as Calbecks Castle. Despite its name, it is a dwelling house built to accommodate visitors to the spa. Built around 1800, it had fallen into ruin as early as 1821, the lands around this area were owned by a Councillor Charles Calbeck, a landowner who made considerable investments in his lands, planting trees, building roads and bridges and improving drainage
11.
County Offaly
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County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was known as Kings County. Offaly County Council is the authority for the county. The population of the county is 78,003 according to the 2016 census, Offaly is the 18th largest of Irelands 32 counties by area and the 24th largest in terms of population. It is the fifth largest of Leinsters 12 counties by size and it is the largest county by area and the third largest by population in the Midlands. Tullamore is the county town and largest town in Offaly and is the 30th largest in Ireland, Offaly borders seven counties, Galway, Roscommon, Tipperary, Laois, Westmeath, Kildare and Meath. The Slieve Bloom Mountains are in the part of the county on the border with County Laois. Offaly has the 24th highest county peak in Ireland, the highest point is Arderin in the Slieve Blooms at 527 metres. The Slieve Bloom Mountains contain the countys highest points including Stillbrook Hill and Wolftrap Mountain which are the countys second, Croghan Hill rises from the Bog of Allen and is located in northern Offaly. Although only 234 metres high, it is known for its view over the surrounding area, the floodplain of the River Shannon is in the north-western part of the county. The River Camcor runs through the town of Birr and is a Wild Trout Conservation Area, the River Brosna runs across the county from Lough Owel in Westmeath to Shannon Harbour. Silver River runs through towns in the south of the county before joining Brosna near the town of Ferbane. The Grand Canal also runs across the county from Edenderry on the north-east to Shannon Harbour before joining the Shannon, the county contains many small lakes from Lake Boora to Pallas Lake and it also contains 42 hectares of swamp. There are a number Eskers in the landscape including Esker Riada. Offaly largely comprises a landscape and is known for its extensive bog. The county consists of approximately 42,000 hectares of peatlands which is 21% of Offalys total land area, Offaly contains approximately 9,000 hectares of forest and woodland area, which only amounts to 4. 5% of the countys land area. This includes woodlands within the Slieve Blooms and the Lough Boora Parklands, roughly 75% of Offalys forested area is Conifer High Forest
12.
Topographic map
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Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features. A topographic map is published as a map series, made up of two or more map sheets that combine to form the whole map. A contour line is a line connecting places of equal elevation, however, in the vernacular and day to day world, the representation of relief is popularly held to define the genre, such that even small-scale maps showing relief are commonly called topographic. The study or discipline of topography is a broader field of study. Topographic maps are based on topographical surveys, performed at large scales, these surveys are called topographical in the old sense of topography, showing a variety of elevations and landforms. This is in contrast to older cadastral surveys, which primarily show property, the first multi-sheet topographic map series of an entire country, the Carte géométrique de la France, was completed in 1789. Topographic surveys were prepared by the military to assist in planning for battle, as such, elevation information was of vital importance. As they evolved, topographic map series became a resource in modern nations in planning infrastructure. Excluding borders, each sheet was 44 cm high and up to 66 cm wide, although the project eventually foundered, it left an indexing system that remains in use. TIGER was developed in the 1980s and used in the 1990, digital elevation models were also compiled, initially from topographic maps and stereographic interpretation of aerial photographs and then from satellite photography and radar data. Since all these were government projects funded with taxes and not classified for security reasons. Initial applications were mostly professionalized forms such as innovative surveying instruments, by the mid-1990s, increasingly user-friendly resources such as online mapping in two and three dimensions, integration of GPS with mobile phones and automotive navigation systems appeared. As of 2011, the future of standardized, centrally printed topographical maps is left somewhat in doubt, the various features shown on the map are represented by conventional signs or symbols. For example, colors can be used to indicate a classification of roads and these signs are usually explained in the margin of the map, or on a separately published characteristic sheet. Topographic maps are commonly called contour maps or topo maps. In the United States, where the national series is organized by a strict 7. 5-minute grid. Topographic maps conventionally show topography, or land contours, by means of contour lines, contour lines are curves that connect contiguous points of the same altitude. In other words, every point on the line of 100 m elevation is 100 m above mean sea level
