Galway

Inis Oírr, Aran islands, Galway

County Galway, the second largest county in Ireland, is located on the west coast of Ireland. The Galway Gaeltacht covers large parts of the county from the east of Galway city and its suburbs to the western end of the county. The majority of the Galway Gaeltacht is in the west of the county and and many different regions of the county are included in it – Cois Fharraige, Iorras Aithneach and Joyce Country for example.

Tourism

Galway city and county are known all over the world as regions of enterprise and development opportunity and rich culture. Much of the Galway Gaeltacht is located in the Conamara region and Conamara is well known as a region that has ties to places all over the world but also has its own distinct culture. Some of the Galway Gaeltacht’s most prominent attractions – Ionad Cuimhneacháin na nImirceach in Carna, Ionad Oidhreachta Leitir Mealláin and the Joyce Country Geopark project – demonstrate the rich heritage but also innovation that can be found in the area.

One of the most captivating places in the Galway Gaeltacht is the Aran Islands and these islands provide an insight into the unique quality of the Gaeltacht islands and the people that live and lived off the coast of Ireland. Thousands of visitors come to the Gaeltacht islands of Galway every year and this is only one example of the type of unique experience that is available to the visitor to the Gaeltacht.

As well as rural Gaeltacht areas, part of the lively heritage city of Galway is in the Gaeltacht. Galway is well known for its cultural events and festivals that take place throughout the year and Galway city is an epicentre of Irish culture in Ireland and globally.

Enterprise and Community

County Galway has a strong local economy and a wide range of businesses and industries operate in the county including the manufacturing and tourism industries, retail and distribution, education and services including financial services, construction, cultural services and professional services. The biomedical industry is particularly strong in Galway and some of the largest biomedical companies in Ireland are located here. The National University of Ireland, Galway, is the most important educational and research resource in the west and the research institutes of the university have a strong connection to the industries all over the county.

The gteic network, the digital network of the Gaeltacht, is functioning strongly already in the Galway Gaeltacht and further development of this network in the county will continue to take place. The Galway Gaeltacht offers everything to the entrepreneur – business resources and supports, enterprise spaces at competitive prices and a highly educated workforce as well as one of the most lively cities in Europe on its doorstep. The community of the Galway Gaeltacht have the best of both worlds – a lively community and a low cost of living but also access to every necessary resource and service.

Facts

  • The Galway Gaeltacht has a population of 276,451(2022 Census) and 50,570 of this population live in the Gaeltacht areas
  • The Gaeltacht of Galway covers vast areas of the county and the Galway Gaeltacht is the largest Gaeltacht area, and largest by population, in the country
  • The population of the Galway Gaeltacht is equivalent to 50.8% of the population of the Gaeltacht as a whole and 15,300 of this population live within the suburbs of Galway city
  • The Galway Gaeltacht has a geographical area of 1,225 km2. This is equivalent to 26% of the area of the Gaeltacht
  • An Spidéal and An Cheathrú Rua are the largest centres of population in the Galway Gaeltacht. An Cheathrú Rua is located 48km west of Galway city and an Spidéal is 19km west

Transport

Three main roads service Galway city

  • M17/N17 to the north (Tuam, Sligo and Donegal)
  • N6/M6/M4 to the east (Athlone and Dublin)
  • M18/N18 to the south (Shannon, Limerick and Cork)

Air services in the region:

Train Services

  • Iarnród Éireann provides regular return services between Dublin and Galway and Limerick and Galway, and stations in between

Further information: www.irishrail.ie

Bus Services

  • Bus Éireann, the national bus operator of Irealnd, as well as many private operators, provide services to Galway from other large towns in Ireland

Further information: www.buseireann.ie

Medical Services in County Galway

  • University College Hospital
  • Merlin Park Regional Hospital
  • Bon Secours Hospital
  • Galway Clinic

Third Level Education in the region

Leisure Facilities

Every leisure activity is available in County Galway. Further information is available on the following websites:

connemara.ie
www.irelandwest.ie
www.discoverireland.com

Client-companies affiliated with Údarás na Gaeltachta in Galway