Relief

•  The west very mountainous e.g. Twelve Pins, Derryveagh Mountains. This  makes productive agriculture difficult.
• Due to the upland terrain much of the land is unsuitable for agriculture.
• It is more difficult to use machinery in mountainous areas.
• Mountain areas also experience more rainfall due to relief rainfall and are colder due to stronger winds and the wind chill factor.
• Higher rainfall levels  can lead to waterlogging and has led to the formation of blanket bogs on some of the mountains.
•  Glacial deposits have disrupted drainage for example there is a drumlin landscape in the Border region.
•  The upland relief shortens the growing season and as a result very few crops are grown here.
• Sheep farming is common as the sheep can survive on the scrub vegetation that grows here and have good balance to withstand the steep slopes.
• On the lower slopes, some grass can be grown and cattle farming occurs.
• In the lowlands of County Galway and Roscommon some arable farming of barley wheat and oats is possible but these are prone to flooding from the River Shannon which can affect production.