town information around galway city salthill

Galway is a fast growing city and with its population now reaching over 50,000 it is set to become the third city of the Irish Republic. The capital of Connacht, Galway, is a thriving and expanding city with a rich past dating from medieval times. Always a merchant town, modern Galway is also a University City and administrative centre.

It is where the Gaelic countryside of Connemara and bustling commerce meet, and the Irish Language can frequently be heard in shop and street. There are...

"The Church of Colga", lies on the N18 to Gort. This village is named after St. Colga, who left Iona is the 6th century to find his own monastery, which now lies under the ruins of the Protestant church beside Kilcolgan Castle overlooking the estuary of the Dunkellin River.

Both the castle and the impressive ruins of Tyrone House nearby (built in 1770), were once residences of the St. George family, whose family burial vaults are at Drumacoo (on the Kinvara road). This is an an...

Although situated on the busy N6 Dublin/Galway road, Craughwell is a rather peaceful village. It is noted for its neatness and its village green has a statue of Lady Augusta Gregory, (1852-1932) a founding member of the Irish National Theatre and another of Anthony Raftery (c. 1784-1835), last of the great Gaelic bards, both by sculptor, Donal O'Murhcadha.

Other noted people associated with Craughwell include John and Angelica Huston of cinematic fame who lived for a period in the old...

Cornamona village is one of the major centres for trout and salmon angling on the northern shores of Lough Corrib. There are large pike to be caught here also as is evidenced by the large one exhibited in the local pub.

Most of the larger islands on the Corrib, including Inchagoill, lie directly south-east of the Doorus Peninsula on which Cornamona is situated. The village is in part of the Gaeltacht or Irish speaking region of North Connemara....

Carraroe is, perhaps, the main centre of Cois Fharraige, (By the Sea), the extensive Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) area of South Connemara. It is one of the most important places promoting Irish culture involving both language, song and dance and, like many places in the district, organises Irish Summer schools for children from English-speaking areas.

It is also a very popular holiday resort for Irish-speaking holiday makers from other parts of the country. It is the ideal base from whi...

This quiet village, near Cong and the Mayo border, is an ideal centre for the trout angler as it nestles easily between the two great lakes of Corrib and Mask. For the more adventurous, Mount Gable lies just 2 km to the west, and is an easy climb of about one hour's duration.

The effort is worthwhile because the views of Lough Corrib stretching away to the south, Lough Mask to the north and the Connemara mountains to the west are simply stupendous. A short trip (8 km) towards Cong an...

Ballyconneely, 10km south from Clifden, and the entry point to the Errismore Peninsula, is an ideal place from which to explore the many fine beaches, some with coral strands, situated along the nearby Ballyconneely and Mannion Bays.

In recent times, evidence of early coastal settlement stretching back 5,000 years, including middens or ancient rubbish heaps of burnt stone, charcoal, shells, as well as stone baldes have been found along the shorelines here and add to the excitement of ex...

The undulating plains of the northern part of the county, filled with stone-walled fields, boglands and meandering streams are the subject of this tour. We begin by driving out the tuam road to Claregalway, a village, with a Franciscan Friary, now in ruins, but still standing majestically beside the Clare River. To our right, an old Burke castle ruin is another silent witness to a troubled past.

Our journey northwards is through some fine farmland, rich green fields clothed with fam...