Woodford () is a village in the south-east of

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. It is situated between the

River Shannon The River Shannon ( or archaic ') is the major river on the island of Ireland, and at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of I ...

and the

Slieve Aughty The Slieve Aughty () are a mountain range in the western part of Ireland spread over both County Galway and County Clare. The highest peak in the Slieve Aughty Mountains is Maghera in Clare which rises to 400 m (1,314 ft). The mountai ...

mountains.

History

The village's industrial history is indicated by a variant of its Irish name, ''Gráig na Muilte Iarainn'', meaning 'village of the iron mills'. It is possible that the village started as a place to house and provide services for the iron workers of the 17th century. The surrounding hills have iron ore deposits; the abundant oak woods were used as a fuel for smelting. These had a lasting effect on the landscape; as the furnaces needed up to one hectare of mature woodland per day. The iron foundry had ceased operation by the late 18th or early 19th century. The village also had a watermill in the valley and, in order for this to operate, the river was dammed. This is what now appears as a small lake below the village.

Woodford Bay

The Woodford River is a tributary of the Shannon River. The river is dammed and broadens out into a small artificial lake called Woodford Bay. In the 17th century, this reservoir was used to power the blast furnace. Later, it was used as a source power for the corn mill and electric light energy for the town. While the bay is no longer used for these reasons, repairs were undertaken in 1980 to restore its aesthetic rather than commercial value.

Tourism

There are three nature reserves within 5 km of the village at Pollnaknockaun, Derrycrag and Rosturra. Two of these are in

Special Areas of Conservation A special area of conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

. Derrygill Millennium Oaks Forest is also within walking distance of the village and is one of only fourteen Millennium Oak Forests established in the Republic of Ireland in the year 2000 when the government gifted an oak tree to every family in Ireland at the turn of the millennium. Cycle routes in the surrounding hinterland have views of Lough Derg and the

. There is also fishing and boating on the Shannon. In the vicinity of the town are the ruins of a

ringfort Ringforts or ring forts are small circular fortification, fortified settlements built during the Bronze Age, Iron Age and early Middle Ages up to about the year 1000 AD. They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland. There are ...

. Every year, in late August, a "Furnace Festival" is held in Woodford to celebrate its ironworking history. The Woodford Heritage Centre houses the East Galway Family History Society, an organisation that seeks to connect people with local historians, researchers, and genealogists who specialise in the surrounding areas.

References

External links

Irelandmidwest.com - Galway towns - WoodfordTown homepage
{{Authority control Towns and villages in County Galway

History

Woodford Bay

Tourism

See also

References

External links