A section of the
Atlantic Ocean between
Great Britain and
Ireland. Specifically, the Irish Sea lies north of a line drawn between
Dublin and
Holyhead (northwest of the Island of
Anglesey), south
of which lies
St. George's Channel. Sometimes, St. George's Channel
is included as part of the Irish Sea, making its southern limit a line
between
St. David's Head in
Wales and
Carnsore Point in Ireland.
The sea lets out into the Atlantic on the North through the
North Channel,
which ends at a line drawn between the
Mull of Kintyre and northeasternmost
Antrim.
In the center of the Irish Sea lies the Isle of Man. The Scottish
isles of Arran and Bute lie in the Firth of Clyde, a branch of the
North Channel. Major cities on the Irish Sea include Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Carlisle,
Blackpool, Preston, Liverpool and the rest of the Merseyside.
The Irish Sea has seen its share of history -- Viking raids and colonization,
Norman conquerors, English colonization and domination of Ireland, U-boat
raids and massive shipments of American troops and materiel during World
War II.