St George's Channel facts for kids
St George's Channel is a stretch of water that connects two larger seas. It links the Irish Sea in the north with the Celtic Sea to the southwest. People in Wales call it Sianel San Siôr, and in Ireland, it's known as Muir Bhreatan.
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What is St George's Channel?
St George's Channel is a narrow part of the sea. It acts like a watery path between Ireland on one side and Wales and England on the other. It helps ships and boats travel between the bigger seas it connects.
Where is St George's Channel Located?
For a long time, the name "St George's Channel" was used for all the water between Ireland and Great Britain. This included what we now call the Irish Sea.
Today, most people in Ireland use "St George's Channel" for the narrowest part. This part is between Carnsore Point in County Wexford (Ireland) and St David's Head in Pembrokeshire (Wales).
However, in Ireland, you might still hear phrases like "cross-channel trip." This usually means traveling to or from Great Britain.
How Experts Define It
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) helps define the limits of oceans and seas. In 1953, they said the southern edge of the "Irish Sea and St. George's Channel" is a line. This line connects St David's Head in Wales to Carnsore Point in Ireland. They did not define the two water bodies separately.
Later, in 2002, a new plan for their guide dropped "and St. George's Channel" from the name. This shows how the understanding of the channel's name has changed over time.
In 2004, a shipping company called St.George's Channel Shipping Company wrote a letter. They said that St George's Channel runs along the Irish coast between Howth Head and Kilmore Quay. They felt that some people were incorrectly calling these waters the "Irish Sea."
How Did St George's Channel Get its Name?
The name "St George's Channel" was first written down in 1578. This was in the travel records of Martin Frobisher, an explorer.
The name comes from an old story or legend. It says that Saint George, a famous figure, traveled to Roman Britain. He supposedly came from the Byzantine Empire and sailed through this very channel.
The name became more widely used after English settlers moved to Ireland. This happened during a time known as the Plantations of Ireland.
