1.
Fermoy
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Fermoy is a town on the River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2011 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,500 people and it is located in the barony of Fermoy. The towns name comes from the Irish and refers to a Cistercian abbey founded in the 13th century, the ringfort at Carntierna, located 2.4 km south of Fermoy, was an important Iron Age site. A Cistercian abbey was founded in Fermoy in the 13th century, at the dissolution of the monasteries during the Tudor period, the abbey and its lands passed through the following dynasties, Sir Richard Grenville, Robert Boyle and William Forward. However, the site could hardly have been regarded as a town and, by the late 18th century, was more than a few cabins. In 1791, the lands around Fermoy were bought by a Scotsman and he was an entrepreneur who developed the roads and started the mail coach system in Ireland. He designed the town and the streets remain much the same as they were originally built, in 1984, some of his descendants, living in Australia, named a winery, Fermoy Estate, after the town he established. A plaque and bust in his honour were unveiled by the park in 2001. Fermoy was the site of a large British Army barracks, when Ireland was under British rule, in 1797, when the army was looking to establish a new and permanent base, Anderson gave them the land as an inducement to locate in Fermoy. Anderson and the town received economic benefit from the arrangement, in 1806 the first permanent barracks, the East Barracks, were built. They were located on 16½ acres of land, and provided accommodation for 112 officers and 1478 men of infantry, and 24 officers,120 men, a general 130-bed military hospital was also built. In 1809, the West Barracks was built and this also had a 42-bed hospital. When both barracks were complete, there was accommodation for 14 field officers,169 officers,2,816 men, by the 1830s, this was the largest military establishment on the island of Ireland. The town of Fermoy expanded around these facilities and retained its British military facilities until 1922, during the War of Independence, Fermoy was the scene of the first attack for arms by the IRA against British troops, during which a Private Jones was killed. This resulted in reprisals, including when British troops looted and burned part of the town centre. One of those who led the raid, IRA Commandant Michael Fitzgerald, was subsequently captured and he later became the first IRA man to die on hunger strike during the War of Independence. Fermoy is situated on the river Blackwater and has steep hills corresponding to the river valley, the downtown area of Fermoy is located in a flood plain and has flooded relatively often in the late 20th and early 21st century. Industries in and around the town include chemical production, ice-cream manufacturing, the towns industries also include electronics manufacturing and assembly by Sanmina-SCI Corporation, formerly Space Craft Incorporated
2.
Ireland
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Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth. Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, in 2011, the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million, ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland, the islands geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild, thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages. As of 2013, the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11% of the total, there are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland. The Irish climate is moderate and classified as oceanic. As a result, winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area, however, summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant, the earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is dated at 10,500 BC. Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century CE, the island was Christianised from the 5th century onward. Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, England claimed sovereignty over Ireland, however, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor conquest, which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, with the Acts of Union in 1801, Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s and this subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973 the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community while the United Kingdom, Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, especially in the fields of literature. Alongside mainstream Western culture, an indigenous culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music. The culture of the island shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing. The name Ireland derives from Old Irish Eriu and this in turn derives from Proto-Celtic *Iveriu, which is also the source of Latin Hibernia. Iveriu derives from a root meaning fat, prosperous, during the last glacial period, and up until about 9000 years ago, most of Ireland was covered with ice, most of the time
3.
Munster
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Munster is one of the provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a king of over-kings Irish, following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into counties for administrative and judicial purposes. In later centuries, local government legislation has seen further sub-division of the historic counties, Munster has no official function for local government purposes. For the purposes of the ISO, the province is listed as one of the provincial sub-divisions of the State, geographically, Munster covers a total area of 24,675 km2 and has a population of 1,246,088 with the most populated city being Cork. Other significant urban centres in the province include Limerick and Waterford, in the early centuries AD, Munster was the domain of the Iverni peoples and the Clanna Dedad familial line, led by Cú Roí and to whom the king Conaire Mór also belonged. In the 5th century, Saint Patrick spent several years in the area and founded Christian churches, during the Early Middle Ages, most of the area was part of the Kingdom of Munster, ruled by the Eóganachta dynasty. Prior to this, the area was ruled by the Dáirine and Corcu Loígde overlords from the early 7th century onwards, later rulers from the Eóganachta who would dominate a greater part of Ireland were Cathal mac Finguine and Feidlimid mac Cremthanin. Notable regional kingdoms and lordships of Early Medieval Munster were Iarmuman, Osraige, Uí Liatháin, Uí Fidgenti, Éile, Múscraige, Ciarraige Luachra, Corcu Duibne, Corcu Baiscinn, around this period Ossory broke away from Munster. The 10th century saw the rise of the Dalcassian clan, who had earlier annexed Thomond and their leaders were the ancestors of the OBrien dynasty and spawned Brian Boru, perhaps the most noted High King of Ireland, and several of whose descendants were also High Kings. By 1118 Munster had fractured into the Kingdom of Thomond under the OBriens, the Kingdom of Desmond under the MacCarthy dynasty, the three crowns of the flag of Munster represent these three late kingdoms. The OBrien of Thomond and MacCarthy of Desmond surrendered and regranted sovereignty to the Tudors in 1543 and 1565, the impactful Desmond Rebellions, led by the FitzGeralds, soon followed. By the mid-19th century much of the area was hit hard in the Great Famine, the province was affected by events in the Irish War of Independence in the early 20th century, and there was a brief Munster Republic during the Irish Civil War. The Irish leaders Michael Collins and earlier Daniel OConnell came from families of the old Gaelic Munster gentry, noted for its traditions in Irish folk music, and with many ancient castles and monasteries in the province, Munster is a tourist destination. During the fifth century, St. Patrick spent seven years founding churches and ordaining priests in Munster, but a fifth century bishop named Ailbe is the patron saint of Munster. In Irish mythology, a number of goddesses are associated with the province including Anann, Áine, Grian, Clíodhna, Aimend, Mór Muman, Bébinn, Aibell. Each is historically associated with certain septs of the nobility, the druid-god of Munster is Mug Ruith. The province has long had trading and cultural links with continental Europe, the tribe of Corcu Loígde had a trading fleet active along the French Atlantic coast, as far south as Gascony, importing wine to Munster. The Eóganachta had ecclesiastical ties with Germany, which show in the architecture of their capital at the Rock of Cashel
4.
County Kerry
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County Kerry is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county, Kerry County Council is the local authority for the county and Tralee serves as the county town. The population of the county was 147,554 in 2016, Kerry is the fifth-largest of the 32 counties of Ireland by area and the 15th-largest by population. It is the second-largest of Munsters six counties by area, uniquely, it is bordered by only two other counties, County Limerick to the east and County Cork to the south-east. The diocesan see is Killarney, which is one of Irelands most famous tourist destinations, the Lakes of Killarney, an area of outstanding natural beauty are located in Killarney National Park. The tip of the Dingle Peninsula is the most westerly point of Ireland, there are nine historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, the county is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the north by the River Shannon. Just off the coast are a number of islands, including the Blasket Islands, Valentia Island, skellig Michael is a World Heritage Site, famous for the medieval monastery clinging to the islands cliffs. The county contains the extreme west point of Ireland, Dunmore Head on the Dingle Peninsula, or including islands, Tearaght Island, the most westerly inhabited area of Ireland is Dún Chaoin, on the Dingle Peninsula. The River Feale, the River Laune and the Roughty River flow through Kerry, the North Atlantic Current, part of the Gulf Stream, flows north past Kerry and the west coast of Ireland, resulting in milder temperatures than would otherwise be expected at the 52 North latitude. This means that plants such as the strawberry tree and tree ferns, not normally found in northern Europe. Because of the area and the prevailing southwesterly winds, Kerry is among the regions with the highest rainfall in Ireland. Owing to its location, there has been a reporting station on Valentia for many centuries. The Irish record for rainfall in one day is 243.5 mm, in 1986 the remnants of Hurricane Charley crossed over Kerry as an extratropical storm causing extensive rainfall, flooding and damage. Kerry means the people of Ciar which was the name of the tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich, in Old Irish Ciar meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective describing a dark complexion
5.
County Cork
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County Cork is the largest and southernmost county of Ireland. It lies in the province of Munster and is named after the city of Cork, Cork County Council is the local authority for the county. Its largest settlements are Cork City, Ballincollig and Carrigaline, in 2016, the countys population was 542,196, making it the third most populous county in Ireland. There are two local authorities whose remit collectively encompasses the area of the county and city of Cork. The county, excluding Cork city, is administered by Cork County Council, both city and county are part of the South-West Region. For standardized European statistical purposes both Cork County Council and Cork City Council rank equally as first-level local administrative units of the NUTS3 South-West Region, there are 34 such LAU1 entities in the Republic of Ireland. For elections to Dáil Éireann, the county is divided into five constituencies—Cork East, Cork North–Central, Cork North–West, Cork South–Central, together they return 19 deputies to the Dáil. The county is part of the South constituency for the purposes of European elections, for purposes other than local government, such as the formation of sporting teams, the term County Cork is often taken to include both city and county. County Cork is located in the province of Munster and it borders four other counties, Kerry to the west, Limerick to the north, Tipperary to the north-east and Waterford to the east. Cork is the largest county in the state by land area and it is the largest of Munsters 6 counties by both population and area. The population of Cork city stood at 125,622 in 2016, the population of the entire county is 542,196 making it the states second most populous county and the third most populous county on the island of Ireland. The remit of Cork County Council includes some suburbs of the city not within the area of Cork City Council, there are 24 historic baronies in the county—the most of any county in Ireland. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, there are 253 civil parishes in the county. Townlands are the smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland, there are approximately 5447 townlands in the county, the Shehy Mountains are on the border with Kerry and may be accessed from the area known as Priests Leap, near the village of Coomhola. The Galtee Mountains are located across parts of Tipperary, Limerick, the upland areas of the Ballyhoura, Boggeragh, Derrynasaggart and the Mullaghareirk Mountain ranges add to the range of habitats found in the county. Important habitats in the uplands include blanket bog, heath, glacial lakes, Cork has the 13th highest county peak in Ireland. The three great rivers, the Bandon, the Blackwater and the Lee, and their valleys dominate central Cork, habitats of the valleys and floodplains include woodlands, marshes, fens and species-rich limestone grasslands
6.
County Waterford
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County Waterford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is located in the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Waterford, which is derived from the Old Norse name Veðrafjǫrðr or Vedrarfjord, there is an Irish-speaking area, Gaeltacht na nDéise in the south-west of the county. Waterford City and County Council is the authority for the county. The population of the county at large, including the city, is 113,795 according to the 2011 census, County Waterford has two mountain ranges, the Knockmealdown Mountains and the Comeragh Mountains. The highest point in the county is Knockmealdown, at 794m and it also has many rivers, including Irelands third longest river, the River Suir, and Irelands fourth longest river, the Munster Blackwater. There are over 30 beaches along Waterfords volcanic coast line, a large stretch of this coastline, known as the Copper Coast has been designated as a UNESCO Geopark, a place of great geological importance. The area around Ring is a Gaeltacht, an Irish-speaking area, Waterford City is the county seat, prior to the merger of the 2 Waterford authorities in June 2014 Dungarvan was the county seat for Waterford County Council. There are eight historic baronies in the county, Coshmore and Coshbride, Decies-within-Drum, Decies-without-Drum, Gaultiere, Glenahiry, some time between the 4th and 8th centuries, a tribe of native Gaelic people called the Déisi were driven from southern county Meath/north Kildare, conquering and settled there. The ancient principality of the Déise is today roughly coterminous with the current Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford, the westernmost of the baronies are Decies within Drum and Decies without Drum, separated by the Drum-Fineen hills. There are many tombs and ogham stones in the county. The Viking influence can still be seen with Reginalds Tower, one of the first buildings to use a brick, woodstown, a settlement dating to the 9th Century was discovered 5.5 kilometres west of Waterford city. It was the largest settlement outside of Scandinavia and the only large-scale 9th Century Viking settlement discovered to date in Western Europe, other architectural features are products of the Anglo-Norman Invasion of Ireland and its effects. As of 1 June 2014, Waterford City and County Council is the government authority for Waterford. The authority was formed following the merger of Waterford City Council, the merger occurred following the Local Government Reform Act 2014. Each local authority ranks equally as first level administrative units of the NUTS3 South-East Region for Eurostat purposes. There are 31 LAU1 entities in the Republic of Ireland, the local authority is responsible for certain local services such as sanitation, planning and development, libraries, the collection of motor taxation, local roads and social housing. The county is part of the South constituency for the purposes of European elections, for elections to Dáil Éireann, the county is part of two constituencies, Waterford and Tipperary South
7.
Celtic Sea
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The southern and western boundaries are delimited by the continental shelf, which drops away sharply. The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago of islands in the sea. The Celtic Sea takes its name from the Celtic heritage of the lands to the north. The name was first proposed by E. W. L, Holt at a 1921 meeting in Dublin of fisheries experts from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and France. The northern portion of this sea had previously considered as part of Saint Georges Channel. The need for a name came to be felt because of the common marine biology, geology and hydrology. It was adopted in France before being common in the English-speaking countries, in 1957 Édouard Le Danois wrote and it was adopted by marine biologists and oceanographers, and later by petroleum exploration firms. There are no features to divide the Celtic Sea from the open Atlantic Ocean to the south. For these limits, Holt suggested the 200 fathom marine contour, the International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Celtic Sea as follows, On the North. The Southern limit of the Irish Sea, the South coast of Ireland, a line from the position 51°0′N 11°30′W South to 49°N, thence to latitude 46°30N on the Western limit of the Bay of Biscay, thence along that line to Penmarch Point. The Western limit of the English Channel and the Western limit of the Bristol Channel, the seabed under the Celtic Sea is called the Celtic Shelf, part of the continental shelf of Europe. The northeast portion has a depth of between 90m and 100m, increasing towards Saint Georges Channel, in the opposite direction, sand ridges pointing southwest have a similar height, separated by troughs approximately 50m deeper. These ridges were formed by tidal effects when the sea level was lower, South of 50° the topography is more irregular. Oil and gas exploration in the Celtic Sea has had limited commercial success, the Kinsale Head gas field supplied much of the Republic of Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s. The Celtic Sea has a rich fishery with total annual catches of 1.8 million tonnes as of 2007, four cetacean species occur frequently in the area, minke whale, bottlenose dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin and harbor porpoise. Formerly it held an abundance of marine mammals, Irish Conservation Box Coccoliths in the Celtic Sea, a bloom of phytoplankton in the Celtic Sea, visible from outer space in an MISR image,4 June 2001
8.
Youghal
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Youghal is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important, being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout. At the 2011 census the population was 7,794, since 2000 the town has experienced a strong decline in its former extensive industrial base, but there are plans for revitalisation taking advantage of the towns unique assets. It remains a popular tourist destination, the name Youghal comes from the Irish Eochaill meaning yew woods, which were once plentiful in the area. Older anglicisations of this name include Youghall, Yoghel and Yochil, the area of Youghal was part of the Ui Liathain domain and fell under control of the Ui Meic Caille. The Anglo-Norman administration identified Youghal to Inchquin as the cantred Ui Glaissin a family of the Ui Meic Caille and the area adjoining it as the Barony Imokilly. Youghal is also the name of a townland in north County Tipperary, notable buildings in the town include Sir Walter Raleighs home Myrtle Grove and the St Marys Collegiate Church, thought to have been founded by St. Declan around 450. The church was rebuilt in Irish Romanesque style in about 750, and it is one of the few remaining medieval churches in Ireland to have remained in continuous use as a place of worship. The Vikings used Youghal as a base for their raids on monastic sites along the south coast of Ireland, since the 16th-century Plantation of Munster it has been the place of worship of the Church of Ireland congregation of Youghal and its surrounding areas. Even so, the area of Youghal is among the best-preserved in Ireland. The revenge killings that followed this included that a priest, Daniel ONeilan, OSF and he was fastened round the waist with a rope and thrown with weights tied to his feet from one of town-gates at Youghal, finally fastened to a mill-wheel and torn to pieces. The first record of the walls is a charter of 1275, granted by King Edward I, for their repair, Clock Gate Tower – In 1777, the towns Clock Gate Tower was built on the site of Trinity Castle, part of the towns fortifications. It was used as a prison during the rebellion of 1798, the military hanged suspects from a pole lashed from the lower windows to the corner of the first house on South Main Street. Thomas Gallagher was one of those hanged for trying to seduce a soldier from allegiance to his regiment, numerous forms of torture were conducted therein including thumb screws, pitch-cap, rack and flogging. The Clock Gate served the town as gaol and public gallows until 1837 when it was considered defective in several of the essential to the health of prisoners. It then became a home until 1959 when the last family left. Tyntes Castle – a late 15th-century urban tower house and it is almost the only fortified relic of the era now in Youghal. It was built by the Walsh family in 1602 and leased by the corporation to the Tynte family towards the end of the reign of King James I and it is shown in a map of Youghal dated 1663 as one of the defences of the town
9.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
10.
Ramsar Convention
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The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands and it is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971. The most recent COP12 was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, cOP13 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2018. The List of Wetlands of International Importance included 2,231 Ramsar Sites in March 2016 covering over 2.1 million square kilometres. The country with the highest number of Sites is the United Kingdom with 170, the Ramsar Sites Information Service is a searchable database which provides information on each Ramsar Site. As of 2016 there are 18 Transboundary Ramsar Sites, as of 2016 there are 15 Ramsar Regional Initiatives covering regions of the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and South America. The Ramsar Convention works closely with six other known as International Organization Partners. The IOPs also participate regularly as observers in all meetings of the Conference of the Parties and as members of the Scientific. Conference of the Parties Conference of the Parties is the Conventions governing body consisting of all governments that have ratified the treaty and this ultimate authority reviews progress under the Convention, identifies new priorities, and sets work plans for members. The COP can also make amendments to the Convention, create expert advisory bodies, review progress reports by member nations, and collaborate with other international organizations and agreements. The Standing Committee The Standing Committee is the executive body which represents the COP between its triennial meetings, within the framework of the decisions made by the COP. The Contracting Parties that are members of the Standing Committee are elected by each meeting of the COP to serve for the three years until the next one, the Secretariat The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day coordination of the Convention’s activities. It is based at the headquarters of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in Gland, Switzerland, the 2nd of February each year is World Wetlands Day, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971. Established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity, in 2015 World Wetlands Day was celebrated in 59 countries
11.
Irish language
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Irish, also referred to as Gaelic or Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people. Irish enjoys constitutional status as the national and first official language of the Republic of Ireland and it is also among the official languages of the European Union. The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island of Ireland and it has the oldest vernacular literature in Western Europe. The fate of the language was influenced by the power of the English state in Ireland. Elizabethan officials viewed the use of Irish unfavourably, as being a threat to all things English in Ireland and its decline began under English rule in the 17th century. In the latter part of the 19th century, there was a decrease in the number of speakers. Irish-speaking areas were hit especially hard, by the end of British rule, the language was spoken by less than 15% of the national population. Since then, Irish speakers have been in the minority, efforts have been made by the state, individuals and organisations to preserve, promote and revive the language, but with mixed results. Around the turn of the 21st century, estimates of native speakers ranged from 20,000 to 80,000 people. In the 2011 Census, these numbers had increased to 94,000 and 1.3 million, there are several thousand Irish speakers in Northern Ireland. It has been estimated that the active Irish-language scene probably comprises 5 to 10 per cent of Irelands population, there has been a significant increase in the number of urban Irish speakers, particularly in Dublin. In Gaeltacht areas, however, there has been a decline of the use of Irish. Údarás na Gaeltachta predicted that, by 2025, Irish will no longer be the language in any of the designated Gaeltacht areas. Survey data suggest that most Irish people think highly of Irish as a marker of identity. It has also argued that newer urban groups of Irish speakers are a disruptive force in this respect. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil the name of the language is Gaeilge, before the spelling reform of 1948, this form was spelled Gaedhilge, originally this was the genitive of Gaedhealg, the form used in Classical Irish. Older spellings of this include Gaoidhealg in Classical Irish and Goídelc in Old Irish, the modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent dh in the middle of Gaedhilge, whereas Goidelic languages, used to refer to the language family including Irish, comes from Old Irish
12.
Mallow, County Cork
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Mallow is a town in County Cork, Ireland, about thirty-five kilometres north of Cork. Mallow is in the barony of Fermoy and it is the administrative centre of north County Cork and has been nicknamed the Crossroads of Munster. The Northern Divisional Offices of Cork County Council are located in the town, the earliest form of the name is Magh nAla, meaning plain of the stone. In the anglicisation Mallow, -ow originally represented a reduced schwa sound, in 1975, Mala—a shortening of Magh nAla—was among the first Irish placenames adopted by statute, on the advice of the Placenames branch of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. In the Annals of the Four Masters, compiled in the 1630s, Magh nAla is misrepresented as Magh Eala, P. W. Joyce in 1869 surmised that in Magh Eala, Ealla referred to the river Blackwater, and connected the name to the nearby barony of Duhallow. Professor T. F. ORahilly in 1938 interpreted Magh Eala as plain of the swans and this false etymology remains widely cited and has caused resentment of the official Mala as being a gratuitous simplification of Magh Eala. However, the name Mala has been used in Irish for more than 300 years, evidence of pre-historic settlement is found in Beenalaght, where an alignment of six standing stones lie on a hill to the west of the Mallow-Coachford Road. During the Irish War of Independence, the town was the HQ of the North Cork Militia – known as North Cork Rifles, the towns RIC barracks was the only one captured nationwide during the war. In retaliation, several main street premises were subsequently torched by the British Army, mrs King, wife of Captain W H King, RIC was killed during an attack on her husband near Mallow Railway station. In retaliation, British military and Black and Tans killed three railway workers-Patrick Devitt, Daniel Mullane and Bennett, the killings prompted industrial action by the National Railworkers Union in Britain and Ireland. Some of the highest naturally occurring readings of radon ever have been recorded in Mallow, the urban area has a population of 7,864 and with improved road and rail since the mid-1980s, has developed significant student and worker commuter traffic with Cork city. Mallow developed as a defensive settlement protecting an important ford on the River Blackwater, Mallow developed in the late 16th century as a plantation town. It has prospered throughout the centuries as a town due to its rich agricultural hinterland. Irish states-men such as Thomas Davis and William OBrien were both born in Mallow in the 19th century, the main street in Mallow is called Davis Street, and joins with William OBrien Street outside Mallow Town Hall. At the point where Davis Street meets OBrien Street there is a monument to J. J, fitzgerald, a little-known local politician who was instrumental in establishing both Mallow Urban District Council and Cork County Council. Changes in the European Union sugar subsidy programme resulted in the closure of the Sugar Beet factory in mid-2006, one of the last sugar beet plants to be closed in Ireland. The development of Market Square in 2006 effectively relocated the town centre, Mallow is a stop on the Bus Éireann 51 bus service from Cork to Galway and 243 bus service from Cork to Newmarket service. Mallow is also served by the Citylink Galway-Cork Airport service, the Mallow railway viaduct which straddles the Blackwater, commonly known as the Ten Arch Bridge, was bombed and destroyed during the Irish Civil War
13.
Lismore, County Waterford
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Lismore is an historic town in County Waterford, in the province of Munster, Ireland. Since December 2015 significant improvements to the frequency of the Local Link bus service are in effect, a bus shelter has also been provided in the town. There are now four services a day each way Mondays to Saturdays inclusive to Dungarvan via Cappoquin including a commuter service, connections to Waterford and Rosslare Europort can be made at Dungarvan. In the other there are four services to and from Tallow where connections can be made for Fermoy. On Saturdays a local bus company operate a service to Cork, on Sundays Bus Éireann route 366 links Lismore to Dungarvan and Waterford. This route only operates on Sundays and comprises a single journey in one direction, Lismore formerly had a rail station on the now dismantled Waterford to Mallow line and was served by the Cork to Rosslare boat train. The line and station closed in 1967 though the station is still extant, founded by Saint Mochuda, died 637, also known as Saint Carthage, first abbot of Lismore. The town is renowned for its ecclesiastical history and the scholarship of Lismore Abbey. The imposing Lismore Castle, situated on the site of the old monastery since medieval times, lies on a hill overlooking the town. It can trace an eight-hundred-year-old history linking the varied historic relations between England and Ireland, originally built following the arrival of Henry IIs son, Prince John, in the twelfth century, the castle was a bishops palace up to the sixteenth century. In 1627 the castle was the birthplace of the First Earls most famous son, Robert Boyle, Boyle was chased off his lands in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, following which his sons recovered the family estates after suppression of the rebellion. The Book of Lismore and the Lismore Crozier, were discovered together in 1814 behind a doorway in Lismore Castle. The Book of Lismore is on display at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, England, a notable resident born in the town who has described her early life in Lismore, is the internationally renowned travel writer and world touring cyclist, Dervla Murphy. Repose of Cúánna of Les Mór, Repose of Colmán grandson of Lítán, abbot of Les Mór. AI752.3 Repose of Mac Uige, abbot of Les Mór, tríchmech, abbot of Les Mór, rested, and Abnér, abbot of Imlech Ibuir. Repose of Rónán, bishop of Les Mór, aedan, abbot of Les Mór, rested. AI774.2 Suairlech, abbot of Les Mór, aI778.2 Repose of Airdmesach of Les Mór. AI783.3 Repose of Suairlech Ua Tipraiti in Les Mór, aI794.4 Violation of the Rule of Les Mór in the reign of Aedán Derg
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Cappoquin
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Cappoquin, also spelt Cappaquin or Capaquin, is a town in west County Waterford, Ireland. It is on the Blackwater river at the junction of the N72 national secondary road and it is positioned on a sharp 90-degree bend in the river and nestles at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains. It is the birthplace of the poet Thomas McCarthy, popular local pursuits include Gaelic games, rowing, and fishing. In the 1980s at Lefanta, just south of the town,7, 000-year-old artifacts were discovered, today the town features include unique scenery, coarse angling and the Glenshelane woodland walk. Rowing is a sport on the river. The town is only a few miles from Mount Melleray and Lismore. Some of the largest individual employers are located on the Cappoquin industrial estate. Businesses located here include Pat Denn feeds, Calmark Ireland, FBA laboratories Ltd, Glenside woodside design and Paul Flynn hardware, among others. Being surrounded by fertile fields on all sides, farming and agriculture plays an important role in the town, providing employment on farms, near Cappoquin is West Waterford Vineyards, an Irish wine producer. The Local economy has suffered over the years lack of investment. Cappoquin has lost both local banks as well as small shops, local pub and local secondary school. As a result a number of buildings within the town have become dilapidated, Affane Cappoquin GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Cappoquin, County Waterford, Ireland. The club was formed in 1969 with the merging of Affane GAA, at present, the team is called Cappoquin when playing hurling and Affane when playing gaelic football. Affane went on to represent Waterford in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship, as Cappoquin, the club has reached one Waterford Senior Hurling Championship final, losing to Mount Sion in 1956. His presidency was invested with significant rowing pedigree as he had captained the Trinity Boat at Cambridge three decades previously and rowed for Cambridge in 1936 when they defeated Oxford, in the 1880s Cappoquin joined with other rowing clubs nationwide to establish the Irish Amateur Rowing Association. This early attempt at forming an association was to prove merely provisional however. The club continues and found much success nationally and internationally through with the success of both Milo and Patrick Murray during the 1990s and 2000s period, the club continues to nurture new talent. Railway Athletic FC was founded in 1980 and is situated at Danes Field, Cappoquin Market House a three bay two storey house currently used as a shop
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Atlantic salmon
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The Atlantic salmon is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean, in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and, due to human introduction, the Atlantic salmon was given its scientific binomial name by zoologist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The name, Salmo salar, derives from the Latin salmo, meaning salmon, and salar, meaning leaper, according to M. Barton, lewis and Shorts Latin Dictionary translates salar as a kind of trout from its use in the Idylls of the poet Ausonius. Later, the differently coloured smolts were found to be the same species, other names used to reference Atlantic salmon are, bay salmon, black salmon, caplin-scull salmon, Sebago salmon, silver salmon, fiddler, or outside salmon. At different points in their maturation and life cycle, they are known as parr, smolt, grilse, grilt, kelt, slink, Atlantic salmon that do not journey to sea are known as landlocked salmon or ouananiche. The species is the longest and heaviest in genus Salmo, after two years at sea, the fish average 71 to 76 cm in length and 3.6 to 5.4 kg in weight. But specimens that spend four or more winters feeding at sea can be much larger. An Atlantic salmon netted in 1960 in Scotland, in the estuary of the river Hope, was weighed in at 49.44 kg, the colouration of young Atlantic salmon does not resemble the adult stage. While they live in water, they have blue and red spots. At maturity, they take on a silver-blue sheen, the easiest way of identifying them as an adult is by the black spots predominantly above the lateral line, though the caudal fin is usually unspotted. When they reproduce, males take on a green or red colouration. The salmon has a body, and well-developed teeth. All fins, save the adipose, are bordered with black, the distribution of Atlantic salmon depends on water temperature. Because of climate change, some of the southern populations, in Spain. Before human influence, the breeding grounds of Atlantic salmon were rivers in Europe. When North America was settled by Europeans, eggs were brought on trains to the west coast, other attempts to bring Atlantic salmon to new settlements were made, e. g. But since there are no suitable ocean currents on New Zealand, there is at least one landlocked population of Atlantic salmon on New Zealand, where the fish never go out to sea. Young salmon spend one to four years in their natal river, when they are large enough, they smoltify, changing camouflage from stream-adapted with large, gray spots to sea-adapted with shiny sides
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River Awbeg
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Awbeg River is a river in the southern part of Ireland. It is a tributary of the Blackwater River and flows into that river at a point in County Cork. Its name comes from the Irish Abha Bheag, there are two contributories of the Awbeg. The first rises in County Limerick as the Gralgne River and enters Co, Cork a half mile north-east of Ardskeagh Cross Roads, then flows west under a railroad bridge and south under Farran bridge on the Buttevant/Charlevllle road. The second branch rises about two miles north of Liscarroll and flows south and then north and west under Annagh Bridge to join the first branch at Scart Bridge. From there, the river south through Buttevant and east through Doneraile, turns south near Shanballymore. North of Buttevant the river flows through agricultural land, while south of Buttevant the river generally flows through a narrow. For the most part the river flows over Carboniferous limestone, the river supports a range of plant species including dropwort, pondweed, club-rush, water-cress and Ranunculus. The river is fringed by a narrow strip of marsh vegetation. The Awbeg is a ground for otters and supports a significant population of Atlantic salmon. The site supports a population of white-clawed crayfish, a threatened species, blakes Bridge, an old stone bridge over the Awbeg River in Buttevant, was widened at some time in the past. The masonry is unusual similar to found at a nearby Franciscan abbey. The ancient clapper bridge near Ballybeg Abbey was erected in the 13th century by the Augustinian Friars of Ballybeg for convenience in crossing the Awbeg to their mill and lands beyond. It is constructed of slabs of limestone that are about 3 m long, equally wide. The transverse slabs measure 2.7 m to 3.0 m in length and are wide and thick in proportion, knockanare Well is situated on the left bank of the Awbeg river, about a half-mile east of Buttevant and southeast of the Ballyhoura Mountains. Edmund Spenser referred to the Awbeg as the gentle Mullagh and resided at Kilcolman Castle in its vicinity
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Rivers of Ireland
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Shown here are all the major rivers and tributaries of Ireland with their lengths. Table 1 shows the longest rivers in Ireland with their lengths, the counties they flow through, table 2 shows the largest rivers in Ireland in cubic metres per second. The longest river in Ireland is the River Shannon, at 360.5 kilometres, the river develops into three lakes along its course, Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Of these, Lough Derg is the largest, the Shannon enters the Atlantic Ocean at the Shannon Estuary. The River Shannons overall length, using the Owenmore River as source, is 372 kilometres,11 km longer than the Shannon Pot source, the River Shannon is a traditional freshwater river for just about 45% of its total length. B The total basin area of the Three Sisters is 9,207 km2, C The traditional length given for the River Bann is 80 miles which is the combined total length of Upper and Lower Bann rivers and doesnt include Lough Neagh. The total length of the Ulster Blackwater from its source to the sea via L. Neagh and this is the longest stream flow in Ulster. D The total basin area of the 6 km River Corrib is 3,138 km2 The total length of the River Robes journey from its source near Ballyhaunis to Galway Bay is 72 miles and this is the longest stream flow within the Corrib Basin. The 102.5 m3/s is based on the basin area of 5808 km2. C The Three Sisters total flow into Waterford Harbour is 154 m3/s, List of rivers in Ireland List of canals in Ireland List of loughs in Ireland List of rivers in County Dublin Geography of Ireland Transport in Ireland Irish whitewater River Guides
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River Bann
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The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, its length, Upper and Lower Bann combined, being 129 km. However, the length of the River Bann, including its path through the 30 km long Lough Neagh is 159 km. Another length of the River Bann given is 90 mi, the river winds its way from the southeast corner of Northern Ireland to the northwest coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh. The River Bann catchment has an area of 5,775 km2, the River Bann has a mean discharge rate of 92 m3/s. According to C. Michael Hogan, the Bann River Valley is a settlement area for some of the first human arrivals in Ireland after the most recent glacial retreat. The river has played an important part in the industrialisation of the north of Ireland, today salmon and eel fisheries are the most important economic features of the river. The river is used as a dividing line between the eastern and western areas of Northern Ireland, often labelled the Bann divide. Towns, councils and businesses west of the Bann are often seen as having less investment and government spending than those to the east. The Lough Neagh catchment drains 43% of the mass of Northern Ireland, as well as some border areas in the Republic of Ireland. The Rivers Agency manages the water level in the using a barrage at Toome. The current drainage scheme was engineered by Major Percy Shepherd and was enabled by the Lough Neagh and Lower Bann Drainage, the levels are regulated between 12.45 metres to 12.6 metres above Ordnance Datum, as defined in the Lough Neagh Scheme 1955. This stretch is one of the most popular fishing rivers in Europe. At Whitecoat Point near Portadown it is joined by the Cusher River and connects with the now disused Newry Canal, although the Upper Bann was officially abandoned as a navigation in 1954, it is still possible to navigate between Whitecoat Point and Lough Neagh. Entrance to the river from Lough Neagh is not easy, as the river is shallow at this point. Once on the river, the jetties for the Bann Ferry are soon reached and it is possible to moor there, to visit the villages of Columbkille to the west or Bannfoot to the east. Bannfoot was originally called Charlestown after its builder, Charles Brownlow, some 6 miles from the mouth, the river is crossed by the M1 motorway. The bridge is the lowest on the section, with an air draught of around 10 feet, although in strong northerly winds, water backs up in the river. From the bridge it is around 3 miles to Portadown, exploration of the town from the river is difficult, because water levels at Shillington Quay and at the jetty a little further upstream are very shallow
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River Bush
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The River Bush is an Ulster river in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The River Bush is 33.5 miles long, the rivers source is in the Antrim Hills at 480m. From there the river flows northwest, with a bend at the town of Armoy and it then flows west, passing through Stranocum, and then bends north, passing through Bushmills before reaching the sea at Portballintrae on the North Antrim coast. It flows through a fertile valley devoted to grassland-based agriculture with limited arable cropping, the underlying geology is basalt and the water is slightly alkaline with magnesium making an unusually large contribution to total hardness. The river supports stocks of Atlantic salmon and brown trout. Saint Columbs Rill, which is a tributary of the river, is the source of used for distilling Bushmills whiskey. The River Bush has traditionally been a river, though the numbers dwindled in the late 20th. The River Bush still offers excellent salmon fishing and it is managed as a premier salmon river by Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Inland Fisheries Division. The Department also operates a farm and hatchery at the River Bush Salmon Station. This project was established in 1972 and is a long programme of research investigating both the sea water and fresh water phases of the lifecycle of the Atlantic salmon. The research programme has led to the recognition of the River Bush as a river by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. List of rivers of Northern Ireland Rivers of Ireland Geograph - River Bush Photograph
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River Foyle
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From here it flows to the city of Derry, where it discharges into Lough Foyle and, ultimately, the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the River Foyle is 129 km, the river separates part of County Donegal from parts of both County Londonderry and County Tyrone. The district of County Donegal that borders the bank of the River Foyle is traditionally known as the Laggan. This district includes the villages of St. Johnston and Carrigans, the river is home to a number of sporting clubs and a small mooring facility has been recently added for small yachts outside the Derry City Council offices in the heart of Derry. The main sports on the river are canoeing, sailing and rowing, people partake in water-skiing and jet-skiing in the summer. The River Foyle is also the river in Europe for its size. In Derry, the crossing point, there are three bridges. The southernmost bridge, the oldest of the three, is Europes only road traffic double-decker bridge and is known as the Craigavon Bridge. However, this proved unnecessary as the port was moved several miles north of the city. The Foyle Bridge was planned originally by the Londonderry Development Commission and was intended to alleviate the congestion on the existing Craigavon Bridge. However, political prevarication meant that it was not constructed until the 1980s, derrys third bridge, the Peace Bridge, is situated behind the Guildhall Square, north of the Craigavon Bridge. The pedestrian and cycle bridge was opened in 2011, intended as a symbol of union between the two sides of the city, the tidal Foyle is navigable from the coast to approximately 10 miles inland. The derelict Strabane Canal continued from this point a further four miles to Strabane, traffic on the Foyle further south than the northern bridge is now more or less restricted to pleasure boats with the occasional tanker coming in the refinery at the northern end of the town. However, because of a lack of funding from various sources, due to the presence of three bridges over the river in Derry, some people choose to attempt suicide by jumping into the deep and fast moving Foyle. Between 1993 and 2008 it dealt more than 1000 people in distress. Prior to the Plantation of Ulster the fishing rights on the River would have been owned by the O’Neill’s and the O’Donnell’s, the Chieftain’s of Tyrone and Donegal respectively. When the Plantation of Ulster started in 1609 a body called The Honourable The Irish Society had been set up by Royal Charter in 1613 to administer the affairs of the Plantation. The Society was then given the rights to the fishing on the river and on the River Bann, in 1944 an action for trespass was taken by the Society against a fisherman from Porthall who they deemed to be fishing illegally
