Gleann an Mháma (
English: Maam Valley) is a glacial valley 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 Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
[Geolab - Field site - Mamean Maam Valley](_blank)
/ref> It lies within 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 ...
in 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, ...
geopark
A geopark is a protected area with internationally significant geology within which sustainable development is sought and which includes tourism, conservation, education and research concerning not just geology but other relevant sciences.
In 2 ...
. Much of the valley is in the Connemara 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 reco ...
.
Location and topography
The valley runs north-northwest from An Mám
An Mám (anglicized as Maum, or sometimes Maam) is a small village and its surrounding lands in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland.
Name
An Mám is Irish for "the pass" and as this is a Gaeltacht (principally Irish-speaking) area, the area's n ...
(also known, unofficially, in English, as Maum or Maam) and the north-western end of Lough Corrib to just south of Leenaun (also known in English as Leenane) on Killary Harbour.
Starting near its northern end, the valley holds the main course of the Joyce River, coming down from the western flanks to pick up small tributaries. In turn this river is subsumed into the Bealnabrack River, also coming from the valley's western side, near An Mám, and then the combined river absorbs the Failmore River and some small streams before merging into Lough Corrib.
The valley passes through part of the Maamturk or Maum Turk Mountains. There is a pass, the Mamean or Mameen Pass,
Access
The valley is bisected by the R336, which splits off from the R59 at Maam Cross
Maam Cross () is a crossroads in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. It lies within the townland of Shindilla, at the junction of the N59 from Galway to Clifden and the R336 from Galway to the Maam Valley
Gleann an Mháma (English languag ...
and rejoins it at Leenaun.
Population centres
At the southern end is the small settlement of An Mám, and at the northern end, though some argue strictly speaking outside the valley, is Leenaun. An Mám has an active pub, and Leenaun has a pub, hotel and guest house, café and restaurants, outdoor leisure centre and community centre, and more again at the nearby Delphi Resort and Delphi Lodge across the fjord. There are small pockets of population in the valley.
Nearby are Cornamona and Clonbur.
Popular culture
The Maam Valley features in famous film The Quiet Man
''The Quiet Man'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was based on a 1933 ''Saturday Ev ...
, with the ''Quiet Man Cottage'' located near An Mám.
Science
The valley, formed around a fault, and modified by heavy glaciation, is considered of geological interest. In January 2018 a fossil found in the valley in the 1990s was declared to be a distinct species and named for its finder Dr Eamon N. Doyle. This find attracted international attention, and a well-known Irish nature writer, Michael Viney
Michael Viney MRIA (born 1933) is an artist, author, broadcaster, and journalist, based in Ireland. He was born in Brighton, England. Best known for his writings on nature, he has contributed to ''The Irish Times'' since 1962.
Career
In the 19 ...
, suggested that it advanced the case for a ''Maam Valley and Joyce Country'' Geopark, on the lines of the successful Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark.[Dublin, Ireland: The Irish Times: Viney, Michael, "Ireland's rocks remarkably rich in evidence of ancient sea life": "Crepidosoma doylei, soon for display in the National Museum, may justify a fourth geopark in Maam Valley and the hills of Joyce Country."]
Religion
There was an old pilgrimage site in the Mamean Pass above the valley.
References
Bibliography
* Glasgow, Scotland, UK: University of Glasgow, Dept. of Geology and Applied Geology; Graham, John R., Leake, Bernard E., Ryan, P. D.: The Geology of South Mayo, Western Ireland
{{coord missing, County Galway
County Galway
Connemara
Valleys of the Republic of Ireland