Regional Geography

Greater Dublin Area

Its a core region including counties: Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow
Climate
Relief:
Mostly Low lying land and gently sloping (Much of Dublin, Meath and Kildare)
However Dublin and Wicklow mts. Hinder development in the South.
Drainage:
River Liffey dominates much of Dublin and Kildare
Rivers in the Region: Boyne, Blackwater and Dargle
Largest Lake: Manmade Blessington Lakes
Physical Climate
Cool temperate Oceanic Climate in the region
Temperate Range Winter: 5 C
Temperature range Summer: 15C
Rainfall: 700 800mm per year
Less frost in the Winter due to costal influences
Excellent conditions for Farmers
Soil in the Greater Dublin Area
The G.D.A is mostly covered by fertile brown Earth soils
Mixed with Glacial Boulder clay dropped and irrigated by the rivers
Rivers provide rich alluvium each year Makes ideal conditions
Peaty soils found in: Mountain areas and western Fringes of Meath and Kildare
Primary Economic Activity Farming
Climate and Soil beneficial to agriculture:
Low rainfall amount ( 750mm)
Rare Frost
Gently sloping landscape
Brown Earth Soils
Ideal conditions for profitable farming
Farm numbers are small Farm sizes are large
Strong Mix of Arable and Pastoral Farming

Arable Farming:
Cereals are grown in Meath and Kildare
Barley, Maize, Wheat: Supply baking & brewing industries
15% of Irelands potato crop (Deep Soil)
North Dublin: Specialises in Fruit and veg (Market Gardening)

Pastoral Farming:
Cattle farming in County Meath
Farmers in the Western Region send their cattle to the G.D.A for fattening prior to selling them on the
market
Kildare: Focus on Bloodstock industry with the Curragh nearby. Dairy Farming is also popular
Wicklow: Sheep rearing is practised on the low hills of the mts. as soil cover is thinner and unsuitable
for crops


Results:
Output from farms is high (High Yields)
Demand for products is high Large Urban Population E.g. Dublin, Naas, Navan
Farms are highly mechanised with large modern Machines
Farmers are young and well educated New approach to farming (Most have 3
rd
Level Education)
Lyons Reasearch Farm UCD: Pioneering reasearch into sustainable farming (Rathcoole Co. Dublin)
Farm incomes 40% above national average: Leads to further machinery buildings and technology

Challenges:
Growth of Dublin City: Urban Sprawl has already reducing farming land
Farms must be competitive: Demand for land & crops conflict each other
Secondary Activity Industry
A wide variety of Industries
Types:
Food processing (Green Isle)
Medical devices & pharmaceutical (Pfizer)
Electronics (Intel)
Engineering (Doonan)
Dublin County makes up 32% of employment in manufacturing alone
M.S.D (Merk, Sharpe and Done)
Took over rival manufacturing company Scherring Plough in 2009
Employs 650 people in Swords county Dublin
Manufactures: Family Planning products, treatments for infertility
Turnover: 729.7 Million
Profit: 141.4 Million
Advantages for Industry in the G.D.A:
Highly developed Transport Network
Dublin Port: Importing & exporting
Low corporate tax rate (12.5%)
Raw materials easily available ( Agricultural areas)
High Population density (Workers and Market Customers)
High output per worker
Higher living standards (market for luxury goods)
I.F.S.C: centre for banking and financial services
Growth of satellite towns ( provide space for large industry)
Improved transport links (Dublin Port Tunnel, M50 Motorway)
Challenges:
High cost of paying workers
High level of dependency on F.D.I (Foreign, Direct, Investment)
Some companies moving elsewhere