County Galway
Information and Tourism
Situated within the western reaches of Ireland, County Galway is a real gem of a place. When you are here, it feels like you are at the very centre of all things Irish. In fact, you are more likely to hear Irish being spoken here than anywhere else.
At the heart of County Galway is the city of Galway itself. Feeling more like a small town than a city, it is easy to see why Galway is so captivating to its visitors. After you've wandered the winding cobbled streets for a while, there is more than a good chance that you will stumble across a pub that promises something in the way of live entertainment. Put your head through the door and you are sure to hear some frantic fiddle playing and detect a hint of that famous Irish brew, Guinness. Afterwards, you will probably feel mellow and relaxed enough to head back into the Old Town to choose a souvenir or stroll along the promenade and admire the delights of Galway Bay.
Away from Galway's streets, there is some of the best scenery to be had for miles. On its coastal edges, County Galway's gentle nature gives way to the Atlantic, a place where shipwrecks serve as vivid reminders of the power of the sea in these parts. The rocky islands of Aran and Inishbofin are notable highlights.
Wherever you venture in County Galway, you will probably need your umbrella, or if you are planning to do any amount of walking, a good set of waterproofs, since this Irish county is known for its particularly high rainfall levels. Thankfully, all that precipitation only serves to enrich the delightfully verdant scenery and does little to dampen people's spirits.
County Galway Information and Fast Facts
- Country: Republic of Ireland
- Province: Connacht
- Population: approximately 265,000
- County administrative town or city: Galway
- Language: English and Irish (Gaelic)
- Number of Irish-language speakers: 33,700
- Area: 2,370 square miles / 6,140 square kilometres
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