Climate of Ireland- moderate marine. Near west coast The islands are traversed by the warm North Atlantic Current, which, together with southwest winds from the Atlantic Ocean, brings warm and humid air masses. The weather is unpredictable - rain can be replaced by sun several times a day. The rains are not heavy, but frequent. On average, up to 1200 mm of precipitation falls per year. The most precipitation is in the west, up to 1600mm (maximum value), in the central part it is only about 100mm.
The average temperature in winter is from +4 C to +7 C, in summer: from +14 C to +17 C.
Relief of Ireland.
More than half of the territory of Ireland, in the center and north, is occupied by the Central Lowland (height 40-100 m) with hills and ridges rising above it, composed mainly of sandstones and limestones, overlain by moraine deposits. Limestones contain craters, depressions, caves, underground rivers and lakes. In the outlying areas there are deeply dissected ridges of low and middle mountains with ancient leveling surfaces. In the southwest are the highest Kerry Mountains in Ireland (Carrantwill, 1041 m).
The coasts of Ireland (especially in the north, south and west) are rocky, strongly dissected by bays, the largest of which are Galway, Shannon, Dingle and Donegal in the west, Lough Foyle in the north. There are many rocky islands off the coast of Ireland.
Rivers and lakes of Ireland.
Ireland has a dense river network. The rivers are full all year round, do not freeze, and are navigable. The largest is the Shannon River. The lakes are predominantly of tectonic-glacial or karst basin origin (in the Central Lowland). The most large lakes- Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Ree.
Vegetable world
The main surface of the territory of Ireland is occupied by meadows in which both northern, alpine plants and species characteristic of Southern Europe grow. Forests occupy 10 percent. According to classification World Fund Wildlife Ireland is divided into two ecoregions: the Celtic broadleaf forests and the North Atlantic mixed forests.
Animal world.
The fauna of Ireland is quite poor and if you want to look at rare animals, then you should visit the reserve. We especially visit the Killarney Nature Reserve, where animals such as red deer, wood mice, pine martens, red squirrels, badgers and foxes live. Also here you can find 141 species of birds (there are 380 species in Ireland), such as white-fronted goose, common falcon, blackbird, nightjar, chough and other species of aquatic, forest, mountain and heather birds. Fish include brown trout and arctic char. Also found here is the very rare Irish lake fish. The seas surrounding Ireland are home to herring, mackerel, cod, flounder, and sardines.
Reservoirs play an important role in the life of the country - they support the development of shipping, are used to generate hydroelectric power, and are a source of many natural resources.
In Ireland, rivers and lakes form a large network, sometimes interspersed with marshes.
Rivers do not freeze even during cold periods.
Rivers of Ireland
The Shannon is the first longest river in Ireland, its length is 368 kilometers. It extends from the western part of the country to the southeastern. The basin area is more than 15 thousand km², and the water flow is 200 m³/s.
The Shannon originates in the Kilkaf mountains, the height of the hill is small, and the source is located at an altitude of 76 meters. This convenient location allows you to clearly track the beginning of the river using navigation maps. The Shannon ends in the city-county of Limerick. The reservoir has many tributaries, the main ones being the Sak and Brosna rivers.
Barrow ranks second in length in Ireland, its length is 192 kilometers. The river originates in County Leigh in the south-east of Ireland, and its mouth is the Celtic Sea. Through the Grand Canal, Barrow is connected to the town of Efi, which is located in County Kildare.
This river is part of the so-called brotherhood of rivers in Ireland called the “Three Sisters”, besides it there are also the rivers Nore and Suir. “Three Sisters” have this name because of their graphic location - these rivers are located close to each other and all have a common mouth - the Celtic Sea.
The Blackwater is a major river in Ireland, with a length of 168 kilometers and a total basin of 3108 km². The highest point above sea level is 229 meters. This river begins in the McGillicuddy Reeks mountains in County Kerry in the south-west of the country and passes through several counties (Cork, Waterford), falling into the Celtic Sea.
The reservoir has seven tributaries, the largest of which are Allou, Obeg, Dalua and Bride. There are also settlements on the territory of the river; the following are located on the banks settlements: Mallow, Fermoy, Lismore, Youghal, Rathmore.
Lakes of Ireland
Lough Derg is one of the largest lakes in Ireland. Its coastline is 179 kilometers and its total area is 129 km². The average depth is 7.6 meters, and the greatest recorded is 24 meters.
The largest river, the Chanon, flows through Lough Derg, flowing in from the northern part and flowing out from the southern part, so the lake has an elongated oblong shape. The lake borders three counties: Galway, Clare and North Tipperary. There are several settlements along its coastline, for example Ballina, Portumna, Mountshannon. Located on the lake amazing island Holly Island, whose indigenous population is included in Ireland's World Heritage Site.
Lough Corrib is the second largest lake in Ireland with a total area of 176 km². The average depth of the lake is 5 meters, and the greatest is 10 meters.
Lough Corrib has a tributary in the form of the River Corrib, which rises directly from the lake and later flows into the Atlantic Ocean. There are also more than 300 islands in this natural reservoir.
Lough Erne - double fresh lake in Northern Ireland. The total area of the natural reservoir is 123 km². The highest point of the lake is located at 46 meters above sea level. The average depth reaches 3 meters, and the maximum recorded is 69 meters. Lough Erne is a navigable lake. There is a tributary - the River Erne, which flows to Donegal Bay.
According to some estimates, this body of water contains about 150 islands, according to others - at least 360. Notable places Devenish Island is considered here, where it is located ancient tower XII century and the island of Boa, where ancient stone idols left over from the indigenous population are kept.
Lough Carra is a limestone lake with an area of 16 km². Its length, relative to other lakes in Ireland, is small - the length is 10 kilometers, and the width reaches 1.6 kilometers. The average depth of the lake is 1.8 meters, the maximum is 18 meters.
Lough Carra is located in County Mayo, which is in the West Country of Ireland. The lake is considered part of the Moore estate. There are more than 70 islands on the territory of the reservoir.
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- Avoca
River in Ireland in County Wicklow. It is formed at the confluence of two rivers - Avonmore and Avonbeg - and flows entirely through County Wicklow before emptying into the Irish Sea. The river valley is home to a large copper mine and processing plant, which closed in 2002 due to severe pollution of the river. - Avonbeg
A river in eastern Ireland in County Wicklow. It originates in the Wicklow Mountains. The confluence of the two rivers Avonbeg and Avonmore forms the River Avoca, which flows into the Irish Sea at Arklow. - Avonmore
River in Ireland in County Wicklow. It originates in County Wicklow and flows for approximately 30 kilometers before joining the Avonbeg River. The Avonmore River and the Avonbeg River merge to form the Avoca River. Avonmore means "Big River" in Irish. - Bandon
A river in Ireland in County Cork, 72 kilometers long. Salmon and trout are caught in the river. The river begins in the Mahanakli Hills, through the town of Bandon to Kinsale. The river flows in a bed carved out of rock during the Carboniferous period. - Barrow
River in Ireland. The total length is 192 km (2nd place in the country). The river rises in the low Slieve Bloom Mountains in County Leigh and flows south through Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow to the Celtic Sea. In addition, Barrow is connected by the Grand Canal to the town of Efi in County Kildare. - Blackwater
River in Ireland. The total length is 168 km. The river rises in the McGillicuddy Reeks Mountains in County Kerry and flows east through Waterford and Cork. Further, the river bed turns sharply to the south and flows into the Celtic Sea near the port of Youghal. - Boyne
A river in the province of Leinster in Ireland. It originates in the village of Carbury in County Kildare and flows northeast through County Meath. The length of the river is 112 kilometers. Drogheda is located where the River Boyne meets the Irish Sea. - Brosna
A river in central Ireland, a tributary of the Shannon. The river's source is Lake Owell near the town of Mullingar, after which it runs south-west through the counties of Westmeath and Offaly to its mouth, the River Shannon. Length – 122 km. - Garavogue
The Garawog originates in Loch Gill. The length of the river is about 6 kilometers. In its course, it passes through the historical city of Sligo and flows into the Atlantic Ocean through the Sligo Bay of the same name as the city and county. - Derry
A river in southeastern Ireland in counties Carlow, Wicklow and Wexford. The river rises south of the small village of Hackettstown (Carlow) and flows in a south-easterly direction to the settlement of Tinahely (Wicklow) along. Next, the course of the Derry turns sharply to the southwest, passes the village of Shillelagh, after which it flows along the border between the counties of Wicklow and Wexford. Just downstream from the village of Clongal, it flows into the River Slaney. - Camac
One of Dublin's largest rivers, one of the four tributaries of the Liffey, important in the early days of the city. In 1846, during the construction of Dublin Heuston railway station, the river was enclosed under the station in a tunnel. When the river flows through Clondalkin it is sometimes called the "River Clondalkin". It also flows near the prison museum in Kilmainham, flows under the Grand Canal; near the stadium "Richmond Park" (St. Patrick's Athletic) the river gives its name to the terrace. - Castletown
A river primarily located in Northern Ireland, flowing into the Irish Sea into Dundalk Bay (in Ireland). The largest city, through which it flows is Dundalk. - Clare
A river in counties Mayo and Galway, Ireland. The river flows north of Ballyhaunis, descends through Dunmore, Milltown, passes near Tuam, passes through Turloughmore, Claregalway, passes through Lough Corrib, and passes through the River Corrib to Galway Bay - Corrib
River in Ireland. Located in the north-west of the country. The river originates in Lough Corrib. Flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the river is about 6 kilometers, and the force of the flowing water is measured at approximately 1200 horsepower - Lee
River in Ireland in County Cork. It flows through the city of Cork and flows into the Celtic Sea. The length of the river is about 90 kilometers; a hydroelectric power station and reservoir were built on the river near the city of Cork. On the banks of the river near Cork stands Blackrock Castle, built in the 16th century. - Mahon
A river in Ireland, in County Waterford, flowing from the Comeragh Mountains. The river flows through Mahonbridge, Kilmacthomas and Banmahon, before emptying into a section of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Celtic Sea. - My
River in Ireland. The source takes place in the Ox Mountains at an altitude of about 500 m and flows through the counties of Sligo and Mayo. It flows into Killisle Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the river is about 90 km. - Naniken
A small river on the north side of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is enclosed in pipes for most of its upstream, and open downstream. The river flows between Santry and Ballymun, passes through Beaumont and Artain and flows to Raheny. At Raheny the river becomes a feature of St Anne's Park, running through the Dublin Arboretum; it is decorated with several decorative bridges and forms a duck pond. - Nor
River in Ireland. Length – 140 km. The river rises on the eastern slopes of Devil's Bit in County Tipperary and flows south-east through counties Louis and Kilkenny before emptying into Barrow north of New Ross. The Nore, together with the rivers Suir and Barrow, are called the “Three Sisters”. - Robe
River in County Mayo, Ireland. Its length is 64 kilometers, the basin area is 320 square kilometers. The river runs from Ballyhaunis to Lough Mask. - Sak
A river in Ireland approximately 50 km long, one of the main tributaries of the Shannon. It flows into the Shannon a few kilometers from the village of Shannonbridge. The source of the river is in County Mayo; The Sac separates County Galway from Roscommon. The largest city on the Sac River is Ballinasloe. - Santry
A river in north Dublin (also flowing through its suburb of the same name, Santry). In recent years, several cases of river pollution due to industrial waste and construction waste have been reported. - Slaney
River in Ireland. Located in the southeast of the country. The river rises at Mount Lugnaquilla in the West Wicklow Mountains in County Wicklow. Flows through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford. Flows into the Irish Sea. The length of the river is about 117 kilometers. Major tributaries include the Derry. - Swilley
A river in the north of Ireland in County Donegal. Length – about 41.8 km. The river rises at the foot of Mount Glendora and then flows east through the town of Letterkenny to its mouth at Lough Swilly Fjord in the Atlantic Ocean. Until the 1960s, Swilley was partially navigable, but due to declining water levels, as well as the narrow channel and many bends, the commercial port was closed. - Tolka
One of the three main rivers of Dublin, flowing from County Meath to Fingal, within the old County Dublin, and through north Dublin (the city's other important rivers are the Liffey and the Dodder). By volume of water, the Tolka is the second largest river in Dublin (after the Liffey), but it flows more slowly than the Dodder. - Three sisters
This is the collective name for three Irish rivers (Barrow, Nore and Suir) that carry water to the Celtic Sea. The name comes from the fact that both the sources and the mouths of the three rivers are located nearby: the sources are on the same mountain range, then the rivers flow independently for a long time and merge only just before they flow into the sea: the rivers Suir and Nore originate in mountainous terrain in County Tipperary near Devil's Beat, while the headwaters of the Barrow River are in the low Slieve Bloom Mountains in County Leigh. Together they flow into the sea southwest of the city of Waterford, forming a wide estuary. Storms and persistent rainfall in the estuary can cause flooding in the southern part of the island, inundating the counties of Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford and others. - Fergus
River in County Clare, Ireland. Its length is 61 kilometers. It flows between Lough Fergus and the Shannon Estuary, and contains Trummer Island; There are bridges over the river only in Ennis, there are six of them. In addition to Ennis, Clarecastle, Corofin, and Newmarket-on-Fergus are located on the river. - Phil
River in Ireland. The river originates in the Mullagairirk mountains in the southwest of Ireland in County Cork near the small village of Rockchapel. It flows in a north-westerly direction through the towns of Abbeyfil and Listowel to the Shannon Estuary. - Finn
A river in the north of the Republic of Ireland, flowing through County Donegal. The river starts from Lake Finn and flows into the River Foyle; The places where the river flows are called the Finn Valley. It also flows through County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. On the River Finn is the village of Clady near Strabane. - Foyle
River on the island of Ireland. It flows through the west of the Irish province of Ulster and British Northern Ireland. Formed from the confluence of the two rivers Finn and Murne near two cities - Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland and Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland; in this section the river forms the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The River Foyle flows through the city of Derry. Many yacht clubs are registered on the river, the river is navigable in most parts, but is now used only for tourist purposes. Considered one of the best places in Ireland for salmon fishing. - Fane
A river in Ireland, rising in Loch Ross, on the border of counties Monaghan and Armagh. It then flows east towards Dundalk Bay, passing through the settlements of Inishkin, Knockbridge and Tallanstown before joining the bay at Blackrock, County Louth. - Shannon
The most long river in Ireland, separates the West of Ireland (mainly the province of Connacht) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster). - Shur
River in Ireland. The total length is 184 km. The river rises on the slopes of Mount Devil's Beat in North Tipperary and flows south to the Waterford border, after which the course turns east and, joining the rivers Barrow and Nore, flows into the Celtic Sea. These rivers are called the “Three Sisters”, together they form a wide estuary. Storms and prolonged rain often cause flooding. - Ern
A river in the northern part of the island of Ireland, flowing from Loch Gowna (Loch Gowna, County Longford) northwest into Donegal Bay in the Atlantic Ocean. The river forms a number of lakes, in particular Lough Erne. - Eske
A river in Ireland, starting at Lough Eske in south-east County Donegal, flowing west of the city Donegal and flowing into Donegal Bay. The entire river is 5 kilometers long, and Donegal is the only major settlement through which it flows. - Dodder
River in Ireland. It originates on the northern slopes of Mount Kippur in County Wicklow. It flows for approximately 20 kilometers through Dublin before joining the River Liffey. Fishing is open from March 17 to September 30. The river is home to brown trout, the best bite is at night in September. - Liffey
A river in Ireland that flows through the center of Dublin. The main tributaries are the Dodder, Poddle and Camac. The river flows into Dublin Bay in the Irish Sea. The River Liffey rises between Mount Kippur and Mount Tondaf in County Wicklow and flows approximately 125 kilometers before it flows into the Irish Sea through Counties Wicklow, Kildare and Dublin. - Poddle
One of approximately fifty rivers in Dublin, it flows through the historical part of the city and flows into the River Liffey. Much of the river is enclosed in a pipe, which often leads to flooding. In the 19th century, St. Patrick's Cathedral was seriously damaged by one of these floods.
Ireland - Island state in the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the third largest island in Europe; it is the western of the two largest British Isles. Located between 6° 20`-10° 20` W. D. and 51° 25`-55° 23` N. w. (extreme northern point- Cape Malin Head). From the east it is washed by the Irish Sea, as well as the St. George and Northern Straits, from the west, north and south - by the Atlantic Ocean. The length from west to east is about 300 km, from north to south - about 450 km. The total area is 70,280 km2. The total length of the border with Great Britain is 360 km. Coastline: 1.448 km. The highest point is Mount Carrauntoohil (1,041 m). The coasts of Ireland (especially in the north, south and west) are rocky, strongly dissected by bays, the largest of which are Galway, Shannon, Dingle and Donegal in the west, Lough Foyle in the north. There are many rocky islands off the coast of Ireland.
The surface is mostly flat, the interior areas are occupied by the vast Central Lowland, which extends to the shores of the island in the west and east. On the outskirts of the island there are low mountains (the highest point is Mount Carantuill, 1041 m) and a plateau (the largest is Antrim in the northeast).
There are many rivers (the most important is the Shannon; other large ones are the Lea, Blackwater, Suir, Nor, Erne, Bann), lakes (Lough Neagh, Lough Derne, Lough Mask and others) and swamps (in the central part). Ireland is crossed from west to east by a number of canals (Bolshoy, Royal, Ulstensky, Logansky, etc.). Warm westerly winds predominate. The climate is temperate oceanic, humid; winters are mild, summers are cool. Warm westerly winds predominate. Thanks to its mild climate, Ireland is covered in greenery all year round, which is why it has become known as the Emerald Isle.
Ireland is an evergreen emerald island with impeccable ecology and a relaxing silence of the province, with landscapes ranging from a rocky lunar landscape to green forests and mountains, lakes and even palm trees.
Relief of Ireland
Ireland consists of a low central plain and its elevated surroundings. However, both the inland plain and the coastal mountains are distinguished by significant specificity. The surface of the plain is complicated by individual hills, and in the surrounding ring of mountains there are gaps through which the plain is connected to the coast, this is especially noticeable in the area between Dublin and Dundalk on east coast. Average height plains only about 60 m above sea level.
Ireland statistics
(as of 2012)
Due to the abundance of precipitation and poor drainage, swamps are widespread there. Only 1/5 of the territory of Ireland is located at absolute heights of more than 50 m, several peaks exceed 900 m. The upper belt of mountains is represented by many short isolated ridges. Of these, only Mount Kerry in the southwest and Donegal in the northwest clearly extend from northeast to southwest, i.e. in the same direction as the mountains of Scotland and Scandinavia. Only in Donegal and Antrim do mountain ranges extend along the coast. All of them, with the exception of the volcanic Antrim Mountains, were formed in the Paleozoic. As a result of long-term denudation, the mountains of Ireland have acquired soft contours, and much of the mountain area is used for pasture. The highest point in Ireland is Mount Carrantuil (1041 m) in the McGillicuddy Reeks mountains southwest of Killarney. South of Dublin are the Wicklow Mountains with highest point Lagnakillia town (924 m). The Knockmealdown Mountains rise to 795m between Waterford and Tipperary. Together with other short ridges located to the west and east, they form an elevated strip stretching from the Atlantic coast almost to eastern shore Ireland. The low ridge of Slieve Bloom with steep slopes, separating the counties of Offaly and Lewis, stands apart. In the county of Connemara in west Galway, Mount Tuelve Pins reaches a height of 730 m. Mount Errigal in the Derrywa Ranges in Donegal rises to 752 m.
The highest point in Northern Ireland is Mount Slieve Donard (850 m) in the Morne Mountains north of Carlingford Lough. These mountains, composed of Paleozoic granites, drop steeply to the sea. The Sperrin Mountains, southwest of Londonderry (sometimes called Derry), reach greatest height at 683 m (Soel). The volcanic ridge, formed in the Eocene, stretches from the Atlantic coast in the north almost to Belfast Lough. It divides the historical area of Antrim. Most of the tops of the ridge have now been leveled, and this entire area is used for pasture. In its north are the basalt pillars of the “Giant’s Causeway”. Much of the area around Armagh drains north to Lough Neagh. To the south, predominantly rugged terrain is developed.
Mount Slieve Gullion, located 5 km from the southern border of Northern Ireland, reaches a height of 575 m. The heights of this area, although massive and dissected, do not create obstacles to transport or to the penetration of the prevailing south-westerly winds, which bring moisture and moderate temperatures in the east and in the west.
The coastline in the east of Ireland is leveled and in this respect resembles the coast of England. But the western coast of Ireland is strongly dissected, which makes it similar to the shores of Scotland. The deep fjord-like bays and lochs provide excellent natural harbours. However, they are little used, except for the parking of fishing vessels located in them. Significant cities in this area are Limerick in the estuary of the river. Shannon, Galway and Sligo, each in a bay of the same name, and Tralee in Ballyheigue Cove. Many of Ireland's islands are also off the west coast. These include the Aran Islands off the coast of Donegal, Achille Island and Clare Island off the coast of Mayo and southern islands Aran in Galway Bay. On the south coast of Ireland, as well as on the south coast of England, there are several deep-water harbours, notably Cork and Cove, both in the Bay of Cork, and Waterford at the mouth of the Suir River. The main ports on the east coast are Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay, Dublin at the mouth of the Liffey River, Drogheda at the mouth of the Boyne River, Dundalk on Dundalk Bay, Newcastle on Dundrum Bay and Belfast on the Lagan River at the top of Belfast Lough. In addition to Dundrum Bay and Belfast Lough, there are two other large bays on the coast of Northern Ireland - Carlingford Lough and Strangford Lough. The main port in the north is Londonderry at the top of Lough Foyle, 5 km from Northern Ireland's border with the Irish Republic.
Water resources of Ireland
The Shannon is the largest river in the British Isles, its length is 386 km, its drainage area is 11,769 sq. km. It begins in the north-west of County Cavan and flows first south and then south-west. In the middle reaches it expands, forming the lakes Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Somewhat above Lough Ree, the Royal Canal approaches the Shannon, and between the two lakes the Grand Canal, both of which reach Dublin. In the area between Lough Derg and the mouth of the river there is a hydroelectric power station, built in 1929. The transatlantic airport Shannon is located in Rinianna near Limerick on the right bank of the Shannon Estuary. In Northern Ireland, the River Bann, starting in the Morne Mountains, flows north to Atlantic Ocean. In its middle course is Lough Neagh. The River Bann is connected by a canal to the River Lagan and Belfast. Another channel connects Carlingford Lough with the upper reaches of the River Bann and, therefore, with Lough Neagh. This lake is the most prominent feature of the orohydrography of Northern Ireland. It is the largest in the British Isles, with an area of 396 square meters. km, the water's edge is raised only 15 m above sea level, depth 31 m. The drainage basin of the Bann River is 5960 sq. km. The river valley contains much of Northern Ireland's best agricultural land. The River Erne, starting in County Longford, flows generally northwest into Donegal Bay through Lough Outer, Upper Lough Erne and Lough Erne. Its length is about 113 km. The basin of this river includes the historical region of Fermanagh, located mainly in the central plain of Ireland. The River Leafly begins in the Wicklow Mountains and flows into Dublin Bay. The city of Dublin is at its mouth. The river is not navigable. At the mouth of the Foyle River in the north of Ireland is the city of Londonderry, at the mouth of the Lee River is the city of Cork. Among other rivers flowing to south coast Ireland - Suir, Nore, Barrow, which flows into Waterford harbour, Blackwater, which flows into Yule Bay on the border of the counties of Cork and Waterford, and Slaney, which flows into Wexford harbour. The western Connacht counties of Galway and Mayo contain several large and many small lakes. The flow from Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, which have only an underground connection, is directed south into the Galway River, and the flow from Lough Conn in Mayo is directed north along the Moy River into Killala Bay.
Climate of Ireland
The climate in Ireland is velvety, soft and even, and differs from the climate in the neighboring British isle a smaller range of temperature differences, and an average amount of precipitation. The island's proximity to the European continent, mid-latitudes, and warm Gulf Stream currents flowing off the western Atlantic coast - all this creates an even, mild, temperate climate on the island.
Moderate southwesterly winds prevail on the island, the flows of which are influenced by the powerful warm Gulf Stream current. Air currents can unexpectedly bring clouds filled with Atlantic moisture with heavy or drizzling rain at any time of the year. But just as unexpectedly, the rain may stop, and the Irish sky, combined with evergreen meadows, will open before your eyes in all its splendor of colors.
Since the size of the island is relatively small (the farthest point of land on the island is located sea coast at a distance of 110 km), the temperature is approximately the same throughout the island. But, despite the fact that the island is relatively small, in the central part of the island the influence of the marine climate is felt less noticeably than near the coast. At the same time, regardless of the time of year and weather, anywhere on the island you can feel the amazing, healing smell of the ocean, ennobled by the pure aroma of forests and green meadows.
The driest month on the island is February. But Ireland does not belong to the category of dry countries, because rainy days per year is about 175, and the average rainfall on the island is about 1000 mm per year. It must be remembered that the average rainfall varies between the west and east, north and south of the island. In some western counties of the island (Kerry, Mayo, Donegal) there are about 200 rainy days a year, and the average rainfall is about 1500 mm per year. This is due to the predominance of winds from the Atlantic in the western regions of the island. It is also no surprise that on some parts of the coastline of these counties the average number of rainy days reaches 270 per year, and the average rainfall is about 2000 mm per year.
According to statistics from meteorologists, the least rainy eastern Irish counties are Dublin, Meath and Kildare. Precipitation is less than 800 mm, and there are about 150 rainy days per year. The southern coast of the island has the mildest climate.
Snow falls very rarely on the island, as a rule, it is not abundant and does not last long. If it falls in such quantities that it covers the ground, it will completely melt within a few hours. In the mountains, snow falls more often, more often, and lasts longer. The average annual temperature on the island is +14°C. The coldest months are January and February. The average temperature at this time ranges from +7–14°C. The warmest period is July and August, with an average temperature of about +14–20°C, but sometimes reaching +25–27°C. Precipitation is 1200-2000 mm per year. Temperature sea water in winter from +6°С to +10°С, in summer from +12°С to +17°С.
Ireland's most unusually low temperature of -19°C (-2°F) was recorded in January 1881 in County Tyrone. An extremely high temperature of +33°C (+91°F) was recorded in June 1887 in County Kilkenny. The heaviest rainfall in a year (3965 mm) was recorded in 1960 in the mountains of County Kerry. And the most generous precipitation within 24 hours (184 mm) was recorded in June 1963 in Dublin. The strongest gale wind (54m/sec) was recorded in 1974 in County Down.
The division into seasons in Ireland is quite arbitrary. Despite the fact that in Ireland the official calendar is the Gregorian, nevertheless, in the country it is customary to divide the seasons somewhat differently than in Europe. The year consists of summer and winter. The first of May marks the beginning of summer, the first of November marks the beginning of winter. Perhaps this tradition takes its origins from some ancient calendar.
Flora and fauna of Ireland
The flora of Ireland is similar to that found in most of Europe, but much less diverse. The Burren region in County Clare is unique, where species from the Arctic-Alpine zone, preserved from the Ice Age, coexist with Mediterranean species. Common tree species are oak, ash, birch, alder, willow, and walnut. The formerly extensive natural forests were cleared over most of the country in the 17th century. and now occupy approx. 6% of the country's territory, mainly in the center and east of the island. State policy is aimed at expanding plantings, mainly of unpretentious and fast-growing coniferous trees that take root even on peat bogs. The Wildlife Protection Act 1976 protects 68 species of native flora.
The fauna includes approximately 380 species of wild birds recorded in India; 135 nest on the territory of India. The most interesting species include the gyrfalcon and peregrine falcon, corncrake, and chough. Among freshwater fish There are salmon, char, whitefish, eel, and pike. Amphibians are represented by a frog, newt, and toad (1 species each). Of the reptiles, only the common lizard lives. The country is home to 31 species of mammals, including red deer, fox, badger, common squirrel, beaver, gray and harbor seals and many cetaceans.
