Geography of Ireland: Coasts, Mountains, Bogs, and Lakes

Traveling Ireland reveals a compact but varied physical geography:

Coastal Landscapes

3,171 km of coastline: sheer Cliffs of Moher (214 m), sea stacks, sandy beaches (Inch, Keem Bay), sheltered bays (Dingle, Galway), and hundreds of islands (Aran, Skelligs, Achill).

Mountain Ranges

• Wicklow Mountains (E) – "Garden of Ireland".
• Mourne Mountains (NI) – highest in NI (Slieve Donard, 850 m).
• MacGillycuddy's Reeks (SW) – Carrauntoohil (1,038 m), Ireland's highest.
• Twelve Bens, Maumturks, Nephin Beg (W/NW).

Rolling Hills & Valleys

Drumlin belts (Ice Age), fertile lowlands (Golden Vale, Curragh), patchwork fields with hedgerows.

Lakes & Rivers

• Lough Neagh (largest, 392 km², UK/Ireland).
• Lough Corrib, Lough Derg, Killarney Lakes.
• River Shannon (360 km, longest) bisects the country.

Boglands (Peatlands)

~17% of land area: raised bogs (midlands), blanket bogs (mountains/west). Critical carbon stores, unique biodiversity (sundews, curlew). Historically cut for fuel; now conserved.