Irish Sea

Irish Sea, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, c.40,000 sq mi (103,600 sq km), 130 mi (209 km) long and up to c.140 mi (230 km) wide, lying between Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected with the Atlantic by the North Channel and (on the south) by St. George's Channel. Ireland is on its west shore, Scotland, England, and Wales on the east. The principal islands in the sea are the Isle of Man, Anglesey, and Holyhead. The chief ports are Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester, Fleetwood, and Dún Laoghaire.

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Irish Sea

Arm of the North Atlantic Ocean that separates Ireland from Great Britain. Connected with the Atlantic by North Channel and by St. George's Channel, it is about 130 mi (210 km) long and 150 mi (240 km) wide. Its total area is about 40,000 sq mi (100,000 sq km). Its greatest depth measures about 576 ft (175 m). The Isle of Man and Anglesey are its two principal islands.

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Irish Sea

an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between Great Britain and Ireland

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Irish Sea [′ī·rish ′sē]

(geography)

A marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean between Ireland and England, approximately 53°N latitude and 5°W longitude.

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Irish Sea 

a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean between the islands of Great Britain on the east and Ireland on the west. It is joined to the ocean by the North Channel in the north and St. George’s Channel in the south.

The Irish Sea is on the continental shelf, which is intersected by a narrow trench that is parallel to the coast of Ireland. The maximum depth is 272 m. The bottom deposits are pebbles, sand, and coquina. Major islands are the Isle of Man and Anglesey. The shoreline is indented by small gulfs and bays. Westerly winds prevail over the sea during most of the year. Storms are frequent in winter. In winter, the air temperature is about 5°C and in summer, 15°C. The water temperature varies from 5°-9°C in February to 13°-16°C in August, changing little with depth. The salinity is from 32 to 34.8 parts per thousand. The surface currents form cyclonic circulation patterns. The tides are semidiurnal, and their heights range from 1.2 to 6 m. There is fishing (herring, sprat, cod, and anchovy). Major ports are Liverpool (in Great Britain) and Dublin (in Ireland).

A. M. MUROMTSEV