Friendships and perceptions of place among rural, farm and urban children and adolescents in Ireland.

Abstract

Some features of contemporary Irish life, such as the fast pace of (sub)urbanisation and the proliferation of scattered housing in the countryside (e.g. Corcoran, 2005; Peillon, 2005; Crowley, 2006) suggest that the socio-spatial context of children's and adolescents' lives in Ireland is changing considerably. The quest for a decent quality of life in modern times has altered the shape and significance of place in people's lives, as families weigh up the implications of ever increasing house prices, child care costs, commuting times and general changes in work patterns. As community and family life alters significantly, the implications are far-reaching for the way children and adolescents experience social interactions and relationships they can encounter, particularly with friends, within and beyond those places.