Recent Change in Ireland's Rural Peripherary: A Case Study of Gweedore.

Rapid economic growth in Ireland, commonly referred to as The Celtic Tiger, has led to major changes within the State. Social and economic inequalities have increased significantly, with strong discrepancies emerging between the urban and rural environments. This thesis investigates the type, and level of these disparities in relation to the Northwest, rural, region of Gweedore, Co.Donegal. To being with, the demographic and socio-economic features of a rural area were documented in order to discover the necessary variables by which to guage Gweedore. A number of methods are then incorporated to measure the disparities and characteristics of this study area, and how they have changed over the years. Quantitative research, by way of questionnaires and census data, gave concise demographic and socio- economic patterns on a number of levels which enabled comparisons to be made on various levels. Past, present and proposed developments were revealed through interviews with agencies working in Gweedore. This qualitative analysis also unveiled the problems of the area, as perceived by the different organisations. From the various research methods employed, it became clear that Gweedore diverges somewhat from a typical rural area. The final section of this thesis presents the area’s potential, in light of the obstacles it faces