CASE STUDY F Ireland
Traditionally the migration that has occurred in Ireland has been from west to east. Tis is due to a number of push factors in the west and a number of pull factors in the east.
Since the 1960s the number of people working in the agricultural sector has reduced by 75 per cent, which has led to population decline in rural areas.. Tis has particularly impacted the population of the west, border areas and midlands, as their populations moved to the larger towns of the east in search of work. Te increasing mechanisation of farming (e.g. tractors, combine harvesters and milking machines) has further reduced the need for labour on farms, with younger people moving to urban areas. Te majority of manufacturing and industries are located in urban areas, which attract rural migrants. More oſten than not, workers choose to live close to the urban area for cheaper and shorter commutes.
In order to attend third-level education, young people move to cities. Oſten these young workers become employed in the city where they attended college and rarely return to their places of birth.
Effects on Rural/Donor Region
Population Decline Rural–urban migration typically affects young adults aged 18–30. Terefore, as young people leave rural areas, marriage and birth rates decline in rural communities. Te remaining population grows older, which leads to the greying of rural areas, and gives rural areas a high dependency ratio. Te counties of Ireland with the highest dependency ratios are all located in the Northern and Western Region in which one-third of their combined population declined during the Celtic Tiger era.
Gender Imbalance Rural to urban migration has led to a gender imbalance within the rural communities of Ireland. Traditionally, males (especially the older son) stayed at home on the family farm. Female siblings were educated to a higher standard in order to obtain a living (e.g. nurses, teachers, doctors, receptionists). Once employed in towns and cities, women were not attracted to agriculture or living in a rural area. Tis explains the high number of unmarried older men living alone in remote parts of the West of Ireland.
Reduction of Services As population declines in rural areas, so too does the number of services available. Major services such as health and education are reduced in areas with low population densities. As declining birth rates occur due to outward migration,, there is a reduction in school enrolments, leading to some schools
MIGRATION 85 Buncrana
10–<25 0–<10
75 or more 25–<75
Sligo Ballina Carrick-on-Shannon Castlebar Westport Clifden Tuam Athlone Galway Ballinasloe Birr Roscrea Ennis Shannon Nenagh Limerick Tipperary Tralee Mallow Fermoy Killarney Bandon Bantry Clonakilty Thurles Cashel Waterford Dungarvan
Cork MidletonYoughal Kinsale
Tullamore Port Laoise
Naas Athy Carlow Arklow Kilkenny New Ross Gorey
Wexford Enniscorthy
Dublin Bray
Wicklow Longford Roscommon Mullingar Navan Swords Cavan Carrickmacross Drogheda Monaghan Dundalk
Ballybofey Letterkenny
: Fig. 3.20 Highest population densities are found in urban areas.
Elective 5: Human CHAPTER 3
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