About County Galway

County Galway is located in the beautiful west of Ireland. It is famed the world over for its raw natural beauty, the Connemara landscape, its island studded coastline, and vibrant Galway city, the most westerly city in Europe.

County Galway is the second largest county is Ireland and is divided into two distinctive parts by Ireland's largest lake Lough Corrib. To the east of Lough Corrib, you'll find rich rolling pastures, while to the west of the lake you'll find a rugged terrain. This area is home to Connemara - a magical place that's sure to capture the heart of any traveller.

Connemara

Drive the 45km Connemara Loop and you'll enter a world where time has stood still. Here you'll see pre-historic bogs, magnificent mountains, sandy beaches, Connemara National Park, the wild Atlantic Ocean and some archaeological sights.

Connemara is also Ireland's largest Gaeltacht (Irish speaking), so you might be lucky enough to hear the friendly locals speaking in their native tongue. Clifden is considered to be the main town in Connemara and makes a great base for touring with lots of accommodation, restaurants and traditional Irish pubs.

Galway's coastline and islands

The Galway coastline has some spectacular scenery and no less than 18 islands! Four of these are inhabited including the Aran Islands and Inishbofin. The Aran Islands (Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer) are found about 45km off the coast of Galway and possess some astounding cultural and historical attractions. Getting to the islands is a pleasant experience. You can get a bus from Galway city to the ferry at Rossaveal in Connemara.

Galway city

Galway city is strategically located in the heart of Galway. It has a history that stretches back to 400AD when a little fishing village was formed at the mouth of the River Corrib. Attractions worth a visit include Lynch's Castle, the church of St. Nicholas and the Spanish Arch. When the sightseeing in done, relax in the beautiful Eyre Square - a public park dedicated to John F. Kennedy. If you need approved accommodation in Galway city check out our selection of hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and self catering properties.

Galway city has a unique atmosphere and charm that cannot be found elsewhere in Ireland. It is a buzzing city all year round with a great night life scene and tonnes of festivals like the Galway Races, the Oyster Festival and the Galway Arts Festival.

How to get to County Galway

When you visit Ireland, make Galway part of your travel itinerary. It is easily accessible by road with the N6 route from Dublin and the east, the N18 from Clare and the south and the N17 from Mayo and the north. If you arrive at Shannon International Airport, you can hire a car and be in Galway city in over an hour. It also has excellent bus connections to the rest of Ireland.
 

Featured Attraction - Connemara National Park

Connemara National Park has 2,957 hectares of stunning landscape and scenery. It's also noted for it's interesting wildlife and historic remains. Read more about Connemara National Park  

Featured Event - Galway Races 2008

Date: July 28th - August 3rd 2008
 
Venue: Galway City

The Galway Races Summer Festival is definately the highlight of the horse-racing calender in Ireland! Read more on The Galway Races