Chapter 20 – Irish Peripheral Region (The West)

Fill-in-the-Blank flashcards covering definitions and key details from the BMW (Border, Midlands & West) peripheral Irish region notes.

A peripheral region is geographically __ from the core economic centre.

distant

BMW region stands for Peripheral Irish Region – The _, Midlands & West.

Border

Physical processes in BMW include relief, drainage, climate, and __.

soils

The rugged, mountainous relief of BMW was formed during the Caledonian Orogeny __.

400-450 million years ago

Old igneous and metamorphic rocks in BMW are impermeable, leading to poor drainage and __.

waterlogging

Name an upland area in BMW: the Derryveagh and Bluestack Mountains in __.

Donegal

The Drumlin Belt includes counties Cavan, Monaghan, and __.

Leitrim

The BMW region is drained by Ireland's longest river, the __.

River Shannon

The BMW region's climate is a cool temperate oceanic climate, heavily influenced by the __ Drift.

North Atlantic

Average annual precipitation in BMW is between __ mm and 2000 mm+.

1500mm - 2000mm+

Sunshine hours per day in BMW are limited to about __.

3.25 - 3.5 hours

Winter temperatures in BMW are mild at around __°C.

4-6

Podzols are common in upland areas and are acidic, nutrient-poor soils leached by heavy rain, suitable only for __ grazing.

rough

Gleys are widespread in lowland areas and are waterlogged soils formed under anaerobic conditions, making them unsuitable for most __ farming.

arable

Peat soils blanket upland regions but have limited agricultural value beyond forestry or peat extraction due to __ concerns.

environmental

The Western Region of Ireland is mainly composed of sedimentary rocks: limestone, shales and __.

sandstone

The Twelve Bens mountain range of Connemara is composed of __ (sandstone).

quartzite (sandstone)

Primary Economic Activities in BMW are largely __ and low-intensity.

pastoral

Farming is predominantly dry stock (cattle rearing) on lowlands and farming on uplands.

sheep

Dairying is limited to well-drained __ pockets.

lowland

Over 30% of farms are under __ hectares.

10

Farmers are older with about % over 55.

50

CAP payments led to .

overgrazing

REPS stands for Rural __ Scheme.

Environment Protection

Secondary Activities: region is over-dependent on branch plants of __ corporations.

multinational

Traditional industries like textiles and clothing have declined due to global __.

competition

IDA and Enterprise Ireland have attracted modern industries in medtech, pharmaceuticals, and to regional gateways like Galway.

ICT

Gateway city in BMW: __ and hubs like Sligo and Castlebar.

Galway

Tourism is the most valuable tertiary activity, capitalizing on the region's unspoilt natural beauty such as the Wild Atlantic Way, Connemara, and the Donegal coast; culture also features.

Gaelic

Tourism is highly seasonal, focused on July-August, creating mostly part- jobs.

time

Investment under the National Development Plan (NDP) and Transport 21 aims to improve accessibility and reduce __.

isolation

Examples include the Atlantic Corridor road scheme and the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor; this improves .

accessibility

The National Spatial Strategy focuses on Gateways like Galway and Hubs like Sligo and .

Castlebar

Population Dynamics in the BMW Region: The population patterns are a direct consequence of its physical and __ geography.

economic