Towards a strategy for the conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera in County Donegal, Ireland

This study attempts to identify the habitat requirements of the pearl mussel Margaritifea margaritifera in County Donegal, in north west Ireland, an area with little urban, industrial or intensive agricultural development. No mussels occur in rivers where calcium and conductivity levels are high or where the substratum is predominantly bedrock or fine sediment but it was not possible to distinguish clearly between mussel and non-mussel sites on the basis of ordination analysis. However, rivers which still support mussels and rivers with historical records of mussels are loosely grouped. Rivers which formerly supported mussels but lack living M. margaritifera appear to have suitable habitat for mussels; pearl fishing is the most likely reason for the extinction of these mussel populations. Where population densities are high, for example in locations on the rivers Eske, Clady and Owenea, conservation may necessitate the establishment of reserves. The prospect for the successful reintroduction of mussels into former mussel rivers such as the Finn and Eany Water, where suitable habitat exists and water quality is high, is very good.

Understanding the socio-economic distribution of multiple deprivation: An application of self-organising maps

In this paper we seek to contribute to recent efforts to develop and implement multi-dimensional approaches to social exclusion by applying self-organising maps (SOMs) to a set of material deprivation indicators from the Irish component of EU-SILC. The first stage of our analysis involves the identification of sixteen clusters that confirm the multi-dimensional nature of deprivation in contemporary Ireland and the limitations of focusing solely on income. In going beyond this mapping stage, we consider both patterns of socio-economic differentiation in relation to cluster membership and the extent to which such membership contributes to our understanding of economic stress. Our analysis makes clear the continuing importance of traditional forms of stratification relating to factors such as income, social class and housing tenure in accounting for patterns of multiple deprivation. However, it also confirms the role of acute life events and life cycle and location influences. Most importantly, it demonstrates that conclusions relating to the relative impact of different kinds of socio-economic influences are highly dependent on the form of deprivation being considered. Our analysis suggests that debates relating to the extent to which poverty and social exclusion have become individualized should take particular care to distinguish between different kinds of outcomes. Further analysis demonstrates that the SOM approach is considerably more successful than a comparable latent class analysis in identifying those exposed to subjective economic stress. (C) 2010 International Sociological Association Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping patterns of multiple deprivation using self-organising maps: An application to EU-SILC data for Ireland

The development of conceptual frameworks for the analysis of social exclusion has somewhat out-stripped related methodological developments. This paper seeks to contribute to filling this gap through the application of self-organising maps (SOMs) to the analysis of a detailed set of material deprivation indicators relating to the Irish case. The SOM approach allows us to offer a differentiated and interpretable picture of the structure of multiple deprivation in contemporary Ireland. Employing this approach, we identify 16 clusters characterised by distinct profiles across 42 deprivation indicators. Exploratory analyses demonstrate that, controlling for equivalised household income, SOM cluster membership adds substantially to our ability to predict subjective economic stress. Moreover, in comparison with an analogous latent class approach, the SOM analysis offers considerable additional discriminatory power in relation to individuals' experience of their economic circumstances. The results suggest that the SOM approach could prove a valuable addition to a 'methodological platform' for analysing the shape and form of social exclusion. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

House at Bogwest in County Wexford, Ireland by Steve Larkin Architects

Publication associated with AR House awards 2012 by the Architectural Review. Text includes citation by Jury and based on interview / text with Steve Larkin. Drawings by Steve Larkin and photographs by Alice Clancy.

Early Medieval Settlement in North County Antrim: the significance of Doonmore and Drumadoon

The excavated north Antrim sites of Doonmore and Drumadoon are compared and attention is drawn to a group of like monuments in the same barony, here termed fortified outcrops. These are argued to be a type influenced by settlements in Argyll and introduced by the Dál Riata to Ulster through ‘counterstream migration’.