The Claddagh ()
is an area close to the centre of
Galway
Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
, Ireland, where the
River Corrib meets
Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls. It is just across the river from the
Spanish Arch, which was the location of regular fish markets where the locals supplied the city with seafood as recently as the end of the 19th century.
The original village of thatched cottages was razed in the 1930s and replaced by a
council-housing scheme.
The Claddagh is most famous internationally for the
Claddagh ring, which is popular among those of
Irish heritage as both a friendship and wedding ring. This traditional design consists of two clasped hands holding a crowned heart, and symbolises love, friendship and loyalty.
The Claddagh area contains a
national school, community centre and a
Catholic church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
as well as the new Claddagh Arts Centre.
Notable people
*
Bobby Beggs (1911–1993), Dublin-born Gaelic footballer who later played for
Galway
Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
, lived in Claddagh
*
Thomas Grady (1835–1891), recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
in the
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
See also
*
King of the Claddagh
*
Claddagh Palace
The Claddagh Palace cinema, originally called the Estoria, opened its doors in 1939, and was located in Lower Salthill in Galway, Ireland. The cinema closed in 1995, and was redeveloped as an apartment complex.
History
The Estoria Cinema ...
*
List of public art in Galway city
*
Nicholas Blake (Dominican)
References
External links
*
* http://homepage.eircom.net/~claddaghns/oldcladdagh.htm
* https://web.archive.org/web/20130729201342/http://www.kennys.ie/News/OldGalway/05062008-TheGreenGrassintheCladdagh/
* http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishPictures/VII-Claddagh.php
* https://archive.today/20130218003431/http://www.kennys.ie/booktalk/old-galway/the-garra-glas-in-the-claddagh.html
Geography of Galway (city)
{{Galway-geo-stub