Claregalway
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| Claregalway Baile Chláir na Gaillimhe |
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| Town population: | 562 (2002) |
| Rural population: | 1635 (2002) |
| Elevation: | 12 m |
| County: | Galway |
| Province: | Connacht |
Claregalway (Irish: Baile Chláir na Gaillimhe) is a village situated about 10km from the city of Galway in County Galway, Ireland. It was founded on the banks of the River Clare, hence the derivation of its name: Baile Chláir na Gaillimhe meaning "town on the Clare, in Galway". Claregalway lies within the Gaeltacht and traditionally most of the locals would have only spoken English as a second language. An influx of new residents over the last thirty years has meant that most residents now rarely, if ever, speak Irish.
This village has an ancient heritage stretching back over a thousand years. It has many features of historical interest but two of the largest ones on the banks of the river include the Claregalway Friary, founded in mid-13th century, and a Norman watchtower (small castle) completed in the 16th century. This watchtower is currently being refurbished for use as a residence. During 2001, a restoration of an old bridge over the old course of the River Clare was completed. These nine stone arches, which are above the level of the current road, now form an unusual point of interest within the village.
Claregalway hosts an annual drama festival and is home to numerous sporting clubs, a Roman Catholic church called "St. James and the Assumption" which forms the focal point of the village, two primary schools (one Catholic and one non-denominational), two large hotels and a growing retail and service industry. Claregalway Parish is one of the largest in the county and includes a number of townlands (small clusters of houses) some of the bigger being Carnmore, Lydican, Lough George and Cregboy. Lydican is notable as the origin of the Irish ancestors (Patrick Lynch) of one Dr. Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna better known as simply Che Guevara.
Lydican was actually an O'Heyne Castle and the last of the chieftains, Connor Crone O Heyne, was living there in 1612. The lands of the O'Heyne chieftains was confiscated in the late 17th century and it was then that the Lynches took up residence there. The Lynches were actually Anglo Irish whose principal holdings were in the city of Galway.
Agriculture would once have been the main industry. In recent years the population has been expanding very rapidly since the village is within the commuter belt of Galway City. Many city workers are choosing to live outside the city environs in a more rural setting. However, the larger population has also led to the growth of the service and retail sector and has provided additional local employment.
[edit] External links
- Official Claregalway website
- Nuacht Chláir - a free newsletter based in Claregalway
