Rural and Urban Settlement 21 Rural and Urban

Rural and Urban Settlement 21 Rural and Urban Settlement in Ireland 21

21. 0 Rural and Urban Settlement in Ireland Rural and Urban Settlement Learning Intentions You will be able to: § Explain the difference between rural and urban settlement. § Describe how the physical landscape influenced the origin of settlement in Ireland. § Understand how historical factors influenced settlement in Ireland. § Discuss how Dublin City has influenced the location of settlement in Ireland. 21

21. 1 What is Settlement? Rural and Urban Settlement There are two main types of settlement: Urban settlement: In Ireland, an urban area is any built-up settlement, such as a town or city, with a population of over 1, 500 people. Rural settlement: In Ireland, rural settlement is any area of settlement outside larger towns and cities, such as small villages in the countryside. 21

21. 2 The Physical Landscape Rural and Urban Settlement 21 Ireland’s first settlers landed on our shores about 9, 000 years ago. They were hunter-gatherers who lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place, sometimes along river valleys, to find food. Ireland’s first farmers, who raised animals and grew crops, came later. They settled in places permanently.

21. 2 The Physical Landscape Rural and Urban Settlement 21 What influenced their settlement? Altitude and relief § Flat or gently sloping lands are easier to build, farm and build infrastructure on. § Less exposed to the weather, sheltered from winds and warmer. Drainage § Most Irish towns and villages are found in areas that are well drained by rivers. § Areas of land that are marshy were avoided due to the potential for flooding. Rivers § Provided routes through the country and back to the coastline. § Provided water for drinking, cooking and other domestic purposes. § Settlements were built on rivers at dry point sites. § Towns where bridges were built became bridging points. § Port activities led to the growth of urban settlement areas at the mouths of rivers. Fertile soil § Fertile land, found in flat lowland river valleys, allows for better crop growth.

21. 3 Historical Factors Viking settlement in Ireland occurred between 795– 1169 AD. Rural and Urban Settlement Norman Settlement The history of the Normans in Ireland stretches from 1169– 1500 AD. Dublin, Cork and Limerick can trace their origins back to Viking settlement. Towns such as Kilkenny can trace their origins to Norman settlement. The Vikings settled near the coast so they could trade and return home. Normans began their settlement in the southeast of the country. Buildings consisted mainly of wooden forts, built on top of hills. Norman settlements often consisted of stone castles. 21 Present-Day Settlement More and more people now live and work in urban areas. Huge demand for housing in cities and urban areas, which has led to an increase in house prices. This has created urban sprawl, forcing many people to live in areas surrounding cities and commute long distances to work.

21. 4 The Importance of Dublin City Rural and Urban Settlement 21 Dublin is Ireland’s primate city. A primate city is a city with a population of more than twice the size of the next largest city in the same country. Urban settlement has developed in clusters around Dublin city. Dublin provides employment across all economic sectors. It is the setting for many sports and cultural events. It has transport infrastructure, including Luas, DART and Dublin Bus. Urban settlement around Dublin city and county

Rural and Urban Settlement Video: Potato Famine and Irish Immigration 21