(a)

(i) Lower course

(ii) Meander

(iii) Reasons why towns develop near rivers:

1. Many of the main cities and towns in the world are built around rivers, e.g., Dublin is built on the River Liffey. The water from the river provides rich soil for farming; these are called alluvial soils. This means the town will never go hungry and can trade crops with other towns/villages. The river provides transportation; therefore, as well as being able to travel, people can trade their goods easily with other towns. Prior to the invention of the steam engine and railways, the most effective way to move goods was by water. Trade routes followed navigable rivers, whenever possible, to allow shipping by boat.
2. Rivers had a domestic use such as providing freshwater for cooking, cleaning and drinking. In the past and still today, some people use rivers for baths to clean themselves and to clean objects, e.g., the River Ganges in India. The river would provide a source of food, e.g., salmon and trout would have been available to fish and provide a source of protein for the settlers in the past.

Or

1. Towns developed near rivers as in the past, before roads were constructed, rivers were the only means of transport. The early settlers would have arrived in a coastal location in Ireland and from there they would have sailed their boats upstream. They tended to settle in an attractive location with quality land, which could easily be defended.
2. Towns developed near rivers in the past as they provided a source of sustenance. As piped water was unavailable at the time, the early settlers used river water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and washing purposes. The river would also provide the early settlers with food as freshwater fish such as salmon and trout would have been caught, cooked and eaten.

(b)

(i) Lusk, North County Dublin

(ii) Urban sprawl is the rapid growth of housing from urban areas outwards into the countryside. Urban sprawl refers to the spreading of the city or urban environment into the surrounding countryside, e.g., North County Dublin. This can occur unregulated in some instances, which can lead to major infrastructural problems. The negative effects associated with urban sprawl include the loss of valuable agricultural land to housing developments. This can be seen in areas in North County Dublin such as Rush and Lusk where agricultural land was rezoned for housing. This will lead to a reduction in food production in Ireland. The sense of community in these towns and villages is lost as many people with no family connection to the local area swamp the population.