"Righteousness and Justice"
, anthem = ()
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg
, map_caption = Location in Ireland
, area_footnotes =
, area_total_km2 = 6151
, area_rank =
2nd
A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI).
Second, Seconds or 2nd may also refer to:
Mathematics
* 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'')
* Second of arc, an angular measurement unit, ...
, seat_type =
County town
, seat =
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
, population_total = 276451
, population_density_km2 = auto
, population_rank =
5th
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash tha ...
, population_as_of = 2022
, population_footnotes =
, leader_title =
Local authorities
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
, leader_name =
County Council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.
Ireland
The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irel ...
and
City Council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
, leader_title2 =
Dáil constituency
, leader_name2 =
, leader_title3 =
EP constituency
, leader_name3 =
Midlands–North-West
, subdivision_type =
Country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
, subdivision_name =
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, subdivision_type1 =
Province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
, subdivision_name1 =
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...
, subdivision_type2 =
Region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
, subdivision_name2 =
Northern and Western
, blank_name_sec1 =
Vehicle index
mark code
, blank_info_sec1 = G
, website = and
, timezone =
WET
, utc_offset = ±0
, timezone_DST =
IST
Ist or IST may refer to:
Information Science and Technology
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Science and Technology
* Graduate School / Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Japan
* Graduate School ...
, utc_offset_DST = +1
, established_title = Established
, established_date = c. 1569
, area_code_type =
Telephone area codes
, area_code = 090, 091, 093, 099
(primarily)
, postal_code_type =
Eircode routing keys
, postal_code = F31, H53, H54, H62, H65, H71, H91
(primarily)
, elevation_max_m = 729
, elevation_max_point =
Benbaun
Benbaun () is a mountain in County Galway, Ireland. With a height of , it is the 72nd highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 88th highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mo ...
, official_name =
County Galway ( ; gle, Contae na Gaillimhe) is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is in the
West of Ireland
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
, taking up the south of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...
.
There are several
Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county. The traditional county includes, and is named for, the city of
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
, but the city and county are separate local government areas, administered by the
local authorities
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
of
Galway City Council
Galway City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Galway, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...
in the urban area and
Galway County Council
Galway County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in County Galway, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...
in the rest of the county.
The population of the county was 276,451 at the 2022 census.
[
]
History
The first inhabitants in the Galway area arrived over 7000 years ago. Shell midden
A midden (also kitchen midden or shell heap) is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofact ...
s indicate the existence of people as early as 5000 BC.
The county originally comprised several kingdoms and territories which predate the formation of the county. These kingdoms included , , , , and . County Galway became an official entity around 1569 AD. The region known as Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
retains a distinct identity within the county, though its boundaries are unclear, and it may account for as much as one third, or as little as 20%, of the county.
The county includes a number of inhabited islands, such as the Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...
() and Inishbofin ().
With the arrival of Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
many monasteries
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
were built in the county. Monasteries kept written records of events in the area and of its people. These were followed by a number of law-tracts, genealogies, annals and miscellaneous accounts. Extant manuscripts containing references to Galway include:
Irish language
Nearly 20% of the population of County Galway live in the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking districts). County Galway is home to the largest Gaeltacht
( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home.
The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog ...
Irish-speaking region in Ireland. There are over 48,000 people living within this region, which extends from Galway city westwards through Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
. The region consists of the following Irish-speaking areas: Galway City Gaeltacht
The Achréidh na Gaillimhe (English: Galway City Gaeltacht) comprises five electoral divisions: Bearna, Baile an Bhriotaigh, An Caisleán Gearr, Mionlach and Cnoc na Cathrach. Due to its proximity to Ireland's biggest Gaeltacht, Galway
...
(parts of the city), Gaeltacht Cois Fharraige
(, lit. "Beside the Sea"/ "Seaside"), previously spelled , is a coastal area west of Galway city, where the Irish language is the predominant language (a ). It stretches from , , to . There are between 8,000 and 9,000 people living in this ar ...
, Conamara Theas
Conamara Theas, which is Irish for South Connemara, is however today the western Irish-speaking regions County Galway. There are around 7,000 people living in the area (excluding the Aran islands). Between 60% and 80% of residents are native Ir ...
, Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...
, and Duiche Sheoigheach (a part of the northern Galway region known as "Joyce Country" and Maam Valley
Gleann an Mháma (English language, English: Maam Valley) is a glacial valley in County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies within Joyce Country in Connemara and is part of an aspirant geopark. Much of the valley is in the Connemara ...
).
All schools within the Gaeltacht use the Irish language for classroom instruction. There is also a third-level constituent college of NUIG called Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (; English: "The Irish Language University Academy") is a third level educational and research institution headquartered in Galway, Ireland. It was established as part of the University of Galway in 2004, to fu ...
in Carraroe
Carraroe (in Irish, and officially, , meaning 'the red quarter') is a village in County Galway, Ireland, in the Irish-speaking region (Gaeltacht) of Connemara. It is known for its traditional fishing boats, the Galway Hookers. Its population ...
and Carna. Clifden
Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capi ...
is the largest town in the region. Galway City is also home to Ireland's only Irish-language theatre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe
An Taibhdhearc is the national Irish language theatre of Ireland. It was founded in 1928.
The word ''taibhdhearc'' appears as a gloss for the Latin ''teatrum'' (theatre) in an old Irish document, derived from roots meaning "dream" and "glance ...
. There is a strong Irish-language media presence in this area too, which boasts the radio station Raidió na Gaeltachta and Foinse
''Foinse'' (; Irish for "''Source''") was an Irish-language newspaper in Ireland. It was first published October 1996 and had both print and online editions until September 2013 when its publisher, Móinéar Teo, announced that it would become ...
newspaper in Carraroe
Carraroe (in Irish, and officially, , meaning 'the red quarter') is a village in County Galway, Ireland, in the Irish-speaking region (Gaeltacht) of Connemara. It is known for its traditional fishing boats, the Galway Hookers. Its population ...
and national TV station TG4
TG4 ( ga, TG Ceathair, ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television network. The channel launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond.
TG4 was formerly known ...
in Baile na hAbhann
Baile na hAbhann, anglicised as Ballynahown, is a Gaeltacht village about west of Galway, Ireland, on the R336 regional road between Indreabhán and Casla. The name means "town of the river". The village is in the townland of Baile na hAbha ...
. The Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...
are also part of the Galway Gaeltacht.
According to Census 2016, there were 84,249 people in County Galway who could speak Irish. According to Census 2011, the Galway city and county Gaeltacht has a population of 48,907, of which 30,978 said they could speak Irish; 23,788 can be classed as native Irish speakers, while 7,190 speak Irish daily only within the classroom. There are 3,006 attending the ten Gaelscoil
A Gaelscoil (; plural: ''Gaelscoileanna'') is an Irish language-medium school in Ireland: the term refers especially to Irish-medium schools outside the Irish-speaking regions or Gaeltacht. Over 50,000 students attend Gaelscoileanna at primary an ...
(Irish language primary schools) and three Gaelcholáiste
A Gaelcholáiste is a secondary school on the island of Ireland (in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland) located outside Gaeltacht areas, where Irish is the primary language of teaching and communication.
Gaelcholáistí are sup ...
(Irish language secondary schools) outside the Galway Gaeltacht. According to the Irish Census 2016, there are 9,445 people in the county who identify themselves as being daily Irish speakers outside the education system.
Local government and politics
Galway City Council
Galway City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Galway, Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...
and Galway County Council
Galway County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe) is the authority responsible for local government in County Galway, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for hous ...
are the local authorities for the respective local government areas. The local government area of County Galway includes some suburbs of the city not within the city area. Each local authority is responsible for certain local services
Service may refer to:
Activities
* Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty
* Civil service, the body of employees of a government
* Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a p ...
such as sanitation
Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems ...
, planning and development
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
*Development hell, when a project is stuck in development
*Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
*Development (music), the process thematic material is reshaped
* Photograph ...
, libraries
A library is a collection of Document, materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or electronic media, digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a ...
, the collection of motor
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...
tax
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or n ...
ation, local road
A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation.
There are many types of ...
s and social housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...
.
Under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 37) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, ...
, County Galway was divided into the urban districts of Ballinasloe
Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...
and Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
, and the rural districts of Ballinasloe No. 1, Clifden, Galway, Glennamaddy, Gort, Loughrea, Mount Bellew, Oughterard, Portumna, and Tuam. Loughrea
Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
, within the rural district of Loughrea, and Tuam
Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bronz ...
, within the rural district of Tuam, had town commissioners
Town commissioners were elected local government bodies that existed in urban areas in Ireland from the 19th century until 2002. Larger towns with commissioners were converted to urban districts by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, with ...
. The rural districts were abolished in 1925.
In 1937, the urban district of Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
became the borough of Galway, remaining part of County Galway. In 1986, the borough of Galway became the county borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent ter ...
of Galway and ceased to part of County Galway. In 2002, all county boroughs were redefined as cities.
In 2002, the urban district of Ballinasloe and the town commissioners of Loughrea and Tuam became town councils
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014.
As part of the Northern and Western Region
The Northern and Western Region has been a region in Ireland since 1 January 2015. It is a NUTS Level II statistical region of Ireland (coded IE04).
NUTS 2 Regions may be classified as ''less developed regions'', ''transition regions'', ...
, Galway County Council has three representatives and Galway City Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
The county is part of three Dáil constituencies
There are 39 multi-member electoral districts, known as Dáil constituencies, that elect 160 TDs (members of parliament), to Dáil Éireann, Ireland's lower house of the Oireachtas, or parliament, by means of the single transferable vote, ...
: Galway East (3 seats), Galway West (5 seats) and Roscommon–Galway (5 seats). It is part of the Midlands–North-West constituency for European elections
Elections to the European Parliament take place every five years by universal adult suffrage; with more than 400 million people eligible to vote, they are considered the second largest democratic elections in the world after India's.
Until ...
.
Geography
County Galway is home to Na Beanna Beola (Twelve Bens
, photo=Boats and mountains, Roundstone (6047965086).jpg
, photo_caption= View of the range from Roundstone village.
, region = Connacht
, region_type = Provinces of Ireland
, translation = The peaks of Beola
, language = Irish language
...
) mountain range, Na Sléibhte Mhám Toirc (the Maum Turk mountains), and the low mountains of Sliabh Echtghe (Slieve Aughty). The highest point in the county is one of the Twelve Bens, Benbaun, at 729m.
Lakes
County Galway is partly home to a number of Ireland's largest lakes including Lough Corrib (the largest lake in the Republic of Ireland), Lough Derg and Lough Mask
Lough Mask () is a limestone lake of about in Counties Mayo and Galway, Ireland, north of Lough Corrib. Lough Mask is the middle of the three lakes, which empty into the Corrib River, through Galway, into Galway Bay. Lough Carra flows into ...
. The county is also home to a large number of smaller lakes, many of which are in the Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
region. These include Lough Anaserd
Lough Anaserd () is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in west County Galway on the Slyne Head peninsula.
Geography and hydrology
Lough Anaserd is about south of Clifden, near Ballyconneely. The lake has numerous rocky i ...
, Ardderry Lough
Ardderry Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong associati ...
, Aughrusbeg Lough
Aughrusbeg Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area in west County Galway.
Geography and hydrology
Aughrusbeg Lough lies about northwest of Clifden near the village of Cleggan. The lake is olig ...
, Ballycuirke Lough
Ballycuirke Lough (), also known as Ballyquirke Lough, is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is part of the Lough Corrib catchment in County Galway.
Geography and natural history
Ballycuirke Lough is located about northwest of Galw ...
, Ballynahinch Lake, Lough Bofin, Lough Cutra
Lough Cutra (formerly ''Lough Cooter'', ) is a lake in County Galway, Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western ...
, Derryclare Lough, Lough Fee
Lough Fee () is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area of County Galway.
Geography
Lough Fee measures about long and wide. It is located about northeast of Clifden and just south of Killary Harbour.
Hy ...
, Glendollagh Lough, Lough Glenicmurrin
Glenicmurrin Lough or Lough Glenicmurrin () is a lake in County Galway, Ireland.
Wildlife
Fish on Glenicmurrin Lough include sea trout, brown trout, grilse and Arctic char
The Arctic char or Arctic charr (''Salvelinus alpinus'') is a col ...
, Lough Inagh
Lough Inagh () is a freshwater lake in the Inagh Valley, in Connemara, Galway, in the west of Ireland.
Geography
Lough Inagh is located about east of Clifden on the R344 road in the Inagh Valley. The Twelve Bens range lies to the west of the ...
, Kylemore Lough
Kylemore Lough () is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area of County Galway.
Geography
Kylemore Lough measures about long and wide. It is located about northeast of Clifden, just east of Connemara Na ...
, Lettercraffroe Lough
Lettercraffroe Lough is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area of County Galway.
Geography
Lettercraffroe Lough measures about long and wide. It is located about southwest of Oughterard and about nor ...
, Maumeen Lough, Lough Nafooey, Lough Rea
Lough Rea (), also Loughrea Lake, is a lake in Ireland, located south of Loughrea, County Galway.
Wildlife
Lough Rea is stocked with three-spined stickleback, ninespine stickleback, European eel, eel, perch, brown trout, common rudd, rudd and N ...
, Ross Lake and Lough Shindilla
Lough Shindilla is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area of County Galway.
Geography
Lough Shindilla measures about long and wide. It lies about northwest of Galway city on the N59 road near the vill ...
.
Climate
The location of County Galway, situated on the west coast of Ireland, allows it to be directly influenced by the Gulf Stream. Temperature extremes are rare and short lived, though inland areas, particularly east of the Corrib, can boast some of the highest recorded temperatures of the summer in the island of Ireland (sometimes exceeding 30 °C); though these temperatures only occur when land warmed east winds sweep the area; the opposite effect can occur in the winter. Overall, however, Galway is influenced mainly by Atlantic airstreams which bring ample rainfall in between the fleeting sunshine. Rainfall occurs in every month of the year, though the late autumn and winter months can be particularly wet as Atlantic cyclonic activity increases and passes over and around the area, and which is why Galway tends to bear the brunt of severe windstorms that can occur between August and March. The county on average receives about 1300mm of rainfall annually, though some areas along the west coast of the county can receive up to 1900mm and beyond. Extreme weather
Extreme weather or extreme climate events includes unexpected, unusual, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Often, extreme events are based on a locat ...
such as blizzards, thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail, though rare, can and do occur, particularly when air mass
In meteorology, an air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and humidity. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adapt to the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to la ...
es of continental origin are undercut by more humid and unstable Atlantic flows.
Flora and fauna
One of the least densely populated counties, County Galway harbors a variety of wildlife. The region's biodiversity is best represented by Connemara National Park
Connemara National Park ( ga, Páirc Naisiúnta Chonamara) is one of six national parks in Ireland, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is located in the northwest of Connemara in County Galway, on the west coast.
History
...
, situated in the west of the county.
Largest settlements in County Galway (2016 Census)
# Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
, 79,934
# Tuam
Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bronz ...
, 8,767
# Ballinasloe
Ballinasloe ( ; ) is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-ce ...
, 6,662
# Loughrea
Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
, 5,556
# Oranmore
Oranmore ( or ''Úarán Mór'') is a town near the city of Galway in County Galway, Ireland. It is also the name of the civil parish and Roman Catholic parish in which the town lies.
It is east of Galway city on the edge of Oranmore Bay, an ...
, 4,990
# Athenry
Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...
, 4,445
# Gort
Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
, 2,994
Economy
According to numbers published by Galway Chamber of Commerce in early 2019, there were then 196 information and communications technology (ICT) organisations in Galway, including IBM, SAP, Oracle and Cisco. There is a number of medical device companies in the area, including Medtronic (with approximately 1,800 employees) and Boston Scientific (2,800 employees).
Sports
Gaelic games are the most popular sport in the county. Galway had traditional regions in which Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
or hurling is played. For example, in south and eastern County Galway, in places such as Portumna
Portumna ( - meaning 'the landing place of the oak') is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with and linked by a bridge to County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shann ...
, Gort
Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
, Clarinbridge
Clarinbridge () is a village in south County Galway, Ireland. It is on the mouth of the Clarin River at the end of Dunbulcaun Bay, which is the easternmost part of Galway Bay.
The placename is also spelled Clarenbridge.
Notable people
* Alexa ...
and Athenry
Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...
, hurling is the dominant sport with successful teams at county and national level. Most of the rest of the county is considered to be footballing territory, with most of the county players being from The Tuam
Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bronz ...
area, Oughterard
Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2016 was 1,318. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N5 ...
, Moycullen
Moycullen ( ga, Maigh Cuilinn) is a Gaeltacht village in County Galway, Ireland, about 10 km (7 mi) northwest of Galway city. It is near Lough Corrib, on the N59 road to Oughterard and Clifden, in Connemara.
Moycullen is now a satel ...
or parts of Galway city
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
.
Galway United FC
Galway United Football Club ( Irish: ''Cumann Peile Ghaillimh Aontaithe'') is an Irish association football club based in Galway. They play in the League of Ireland First Division.
They were founded as Galway Rovers F.C. during the 1930s. They ...
compete in the SSE Aitricity League of Ireland and plays home games in Eamonn Deacy Park
Eamonn Deacy Park, formerly known as Terryland Park, is an association football stadium in the Republic of Ireland based in the Terryland district of Galway. It is owned by the Galway Football Association and is the home ground of both Galway ...
.
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby ( ga, Rugbaí Connachta) is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Con ...
competes in the United Rugby Championship
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...
is based in Galway city
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city on ...
. The two main amateur rugby clubs in the county are Galway Corinthians RFC
Galway Corinthians Rugby Football Club is a rugby club in Galway, Ireland and the largest rugby union club in the province of Connaught. The club was founded in 1932 and plays in Division 2B of the Irish domestic club competition the All-Irela ...
and Galwegians RFC
Galwegians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in Galway, Ireland. The Galwegians senior side plays in Division 2B of the All-Ireland League, the Irish domestic club competition.
Galwegians field over 16 teams including Senior, Junior (S ...
which compete in the All-Ireland League.
Athletics
Athletics may refer to:
Sports
* Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking
** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport
* Athletics (physical culture), competi ...
is also a very popular sport in Galway, a few clubs being; Galway City Harriers, Craughwell
Craughwell (historically ''Creaghmoyle'', from ) is a town and townland in County Galway, Ireland.
Name
The name Craughwell is also used as a surname, properly '' Ó Creachmhaoil'', though often anglicised as ''Craughwell'', ''Croughwell'' and ...
Athletic Club, Athenry
Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...
A.C, Tuam
Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bronz ...
A.C, Loughrea
Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
A.C and many others.
Notable people
* Mícheál Ó Cellaigh (fl. 1875) Irish scribe
* Tomás Ó Reaftaraigh (fl. 1899) Irish scribe
*Nicola Coughlan
Nicola Mary Coughlan (born 9 January 1987) is an Irish actress. She is known for her roles as Clare Devlin in the Channel 4 sitcom ''Derry Girls'' (2018–2022) and Penelope Featherington in the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020–presen ...
Irish Actor
See also
* Connacht Irish
Connacht Irish () is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Connacht. Gaeltacht regions in Connacht are found in Counties Mayo (notably Tourmakeady, Achill Island and Erris) and Galway (notably in parts of Connemara and o ...
* Galway GAA
* List of monastic houses in Ireland (County Galway)
* Joyce Country
Joyce Country ( ga, Dúiche Sheoighe) is a cultural region in counties Galway and Mayo in Ireland. It is sometimes called Partry, after the former tribal territory of the '' Partraige'', which it largely matches. Part of it falls within the Con ...
* Lord Lieutenant of Galway
This is a list of people who have held the post of Lord Lieutenant of County Galway.
There were lieutenants of counties in Ireland until the reign of James II, when they were renamed governors. The office of Lord Lieutenant was recreated on 23 ...
* High Sheriff of County Galway
The High Sheriff of County Galway was the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Galway. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besi ...
* High Sheriff of Galway Town
The High Sheriff of Galway Town was the Sovereign's judicial representative in the county of the Town of Galway. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxf ...
* Western Railway Corridor
The Western Railway Corridor is a term, used since , for a partly disused railway line running through the west of Ireland. Currently two sections of the line, from Limerick via Ennis to Athenry and from Collooney to Sligo, see regular servic ...
* Wild Atlantic Way
The Wild Atlantic Way ( ga, Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin) is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. The 2,500 km (1,553 mile) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, s ...
References
Select Bibliography
* Conor McNamara, 'War and Revolution in the West of Ireland, Galway 1913-22' (Irish Academic Press, 2019).
* ''History of Galway'', James Hardiman
James Hardiman (1782–1855), also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway.
Hardiman is best remembered for his '' History of the Town and County of Galway'' (1820) and '' Irish Minstrelsy'' (1831), one of the f ...
, 1820
* ''Education in the Diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
of Kilmachduagh in the nineteenth century'', Sr. Mary de Lourdes Fahy, Convent of Mercy, Gort, 1972
*"On the Corporation Books of Galway", Trench, W.F. & Lawson, T.D., Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society
The Galway Archaeological and Historical Society was founded on 21 March 1900, at the Railway Hotel, Galway. It promotes the study of the archaeology and history of the west of Ireland. Since 1900, the Society has published 70 volumes of the ''J ...
Vol. 1, 1900–1901, no. 2.
*"The Lurgan canoe", Costello, T.B, JGAHS Vol. 2, 1902, no. 1.
*''Blake Family Records'', vol. 1, Martin J. Blake.
*"Portrait of Sir Valentine Blake of Menlough, 3rd Baronet (1608–1652)", anon, JGAHS Vol. 3, 1903–1904, no. 3.
*"Will of Geoffrey French of Galway, A.D. 1528", Martin J. Blake, JGAHS Vol. 4, 1905 –1906, no. 4.
*"A De Burgo silver chalice, A.D. 1494: with notes on the family of Bourke of Turlough, Co. Mayo; drawing & text."JGAHS Vol. 5, 1907–1908, no. 4.
*''Old Galway'', Maureen Donovan-O'Sullivan, 1942.
*"The Anglo-Normans in Co. Galway: the process of colonization", Patrick Holland, JGAHS Vol. 41, 1987–88.
* ''Galway: History and Society'', ed. Gerard Moran and Raymond Gillespie, Geography Publications, Dublin, 1996,
(selections below)
**"The Topography of Medieval and Early Modern Galway City";
**"From Warlords to Landlords: Political and Social Change in Galway 1540-1640";
**"Religion and the Laity in Early Modern Galway";
**"The Transfer of Power: Galway 1642-1703";
**"The Politics of Protestant ascendency: County Galway 1650-1832";
**"Landlords and Land Usage in Eighteenth Century Galway";
**"The Galway Tribes as Landowners and Gentry
**"The Response of the Poor Law to the Great Famine in County Galway
**"The Encumbered Estates Court and Galway Property 1849-58
**"Bishop John MacEvilly and the Catholic Church in Late Nineteenth Century Galway
**"Minor Famines and Relief in Galway, 1815-1925"
**"From Connacht to North America: State Aided Emigration from County Galway in the 1880s"
**"Trade Unionism in County Galway, 1898-1914"
**"Scríobhaithe Lámhscribhínni Gaeilge I nGallimh"
**"The Galway Gaeltacht, 1926-81: a Sociolinguistic Study of Continuity and Change"
*''A town tormented by the sea: Galway 1790-1914'', John Cunningham, 2004.
*''The Ploughman on the Pound Note'', Eugene Duggan, 2004.
*''Land and Revolution" - Nationalist Politics in the West of Ireland 1891 - 1921'', Fergus Campbell, 2005.
*"The de Berminghams, Barons of Athenry", Paul Mohr, JGAHS Vol. 63, 2011.
*''Clár Amhrán Mhaigh Cuilinn'', Ciarán Ó Con Cheanainn, 2011.
*''He Who Dared and Died" - The Life and Death of an SAS Original, Sergeant Chris O'Dowd MM'', Gearóid O'Dowd, 2011
*''The case of the Craughwell Prisoners during the Land War in Co. Galway, 1879–85'', Pat Finnegan, 2012
*''Loughrea, that den of infamy: The Land War in County Galway, 1879–82'', Pat Finnegan, 2014.
*''East Galway agrarian agitation and the burning of Ballydugan House, 1922'', Anne O'Riordan, 2015.
*''Rebellion in Galway - Easter Rising 1916'' Kevin Jordan, 2016.
*''The Tribes of Galway: 1124-1642'', Adrian Martyn, 2016.
*''He was Galway:Máirtín Mór McDonogh, 1860–1934'', Jackie Uí Chionna, 2016.
External links
Galway County Council
The Galway Independent, a local newspaper
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Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...