Population Change: Effect on schools

In the past 50 years or so many people in Ireland have moved from the countryside to towns and cities.

Dublin's population grew rapidly in the 20th century.
The area changed from being a densely compact city, to being a wide 'city region'.
The city's influence spread into the towns, villages, and countryside, not only of County Dublin, but the neighbouring counties of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

In Dublin City and the counties of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin, the population more than doubled in the years 1926-1991, from 506,000 to 1,025,000.

Dublin's share of the State's population increased from 17 per cent to 29 per cent over this period.

The effect this had is called urbanization.

Urbanization means the change that takes place when many people move from rural places to towns or cities. When more people come to live in a city or town the city or town grows out into the countryside around it.

By the year 1991, 57 per cent of Ireland's population could be classified as urban.

[ Statistics Source: www.enfo.ie 'Modern Dublin']

Because fewer people were living in the countryside rural schools had fewer children attending them. Many closed down and the children were taken by bus to the nearest town.

How do you think you would have felt if this had happened to you?

Do you think it might have happened to your parents or grandparents?

It is not all bad news though.

Nowadays some people choose to move out of urban areas to live in the countryside.

Think about why they might do this.

Some reasons why people move from cities to rural places:

• Quieter place to live
• More places for children to play
• Cheaper homes
• Good roads
• Nicer

Can you think of more reasons?

Because people have motorcars they can drive their children to small country schools. Some small schools are growing because of this.
 

Do you know of any small school that has got some new pupils in the last few years?