Rural to urban migration has occurred in Ireland for

many decades. Examine one impact of rural to urban

migration on rural regions and one impact on urban
regions in the Republic of Ireland.
Introduction:
Migration from rural regions to urban regions has had a
profound effect on the fabric of rural life in Ireland.
Migration is the movement of people from one region to
another due to social or economic factors.
As a result of rural to urban migration, Irelands countryside has
suffered severe depopulation while Irelands cities have
experienced severe urban sprawl.

Impact on rural areas:

The main impact of rural to urban migration in Irelands
countryside has been rural depopulation.
In 1926 only 32% of Irelands population lived in urban areas
but by 2012 this figure had risen to 60%.
Due to rising rural to urban migration, the population of rural
parishes across the country declined.
Since outward migrants were mainly young adults, there have
been fewer marriages and births, adding to the rural
depopulation.
As a result, the rural population had a high proportion of elderly
people.
The loss of dynamic young people led to the decline of local
sports teams and other social gatherings, triggering a decline
in community spirit and participation.
As parish populations declined, rural services did also with
the closing of post offices, shops and Garda stations in many
parishes.

 Small primary schools were also amalgamated into one

central school, having to cater for an even greater hinterland
and causing issues regarding transportation.

Impact on urban areas:

The main impact of rural to urban migration in Irelands urban
areas has been urban sprawl.
Urban areas in Ireland have grown significantly in the 20th and
21st centuries.
The greatest population increases have been in the new urban
centres of Dublin where the population has grown from
130,000 in 1946 to 680,000 in 2006.
The pull of Dublin as a primate city and as the economic
engine of the economy has been responsible for its rapid
growth.
As urban centres grew, low-density housing estates had to be
built on surrounding rezoned farmland in order to
accommodate the growing number of city workers.
Urban sprawl led to increased traffic in these urban areas due
to excess commuters and some citys narrow streets, that
were laid out in earlier centuries, were unable to cope with
car and lorry transport.
Unlike rural areas in other parts of the country, rural areas in
the vicinity of large towns and cities have experienced
repopulation as people are willing to commute to and from
work.
However, as a result traffic congestion and long delays on
the approach roads to cities is a twice-daily occurrence and
seriously affects the quality of life of commuters.