Spiddal
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| Spiddal An Spidéal |
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| Town population: | - (2002) |
| Rural population: | - (2002) |
| Elevation: | 1 m |
| County: | Galway |
| Province: | Connacht |
Spiddal (Irish: An Spidéal) is a village on the shore of Galway Bay in County Galway in the Republic of Ireland. The town is 12 miles west of Galway city on the R336 road. Spiddal lies in a Gaeltacht area where Irish is spoken. The language is coming under increasing pressure from the large number of English speakers moving into the area.
Spiddal is a vibrant friendly town where the people are bilingual in Irish and English. Every summer groups of teenagers come to Spiddal for 3 week Irish language courses. Signposts are in the Irish language.
The town has 2 shops (one with a petrol station), and 4 restaurants (including a Supermac's franchise outlet). There are also a number of pubs in the town. On most weekend nights and sometimes during the week in summer time there is live traditional Irish music in the pubs. Hughes' pub in the centre of the village hosts traditional music sessions where famous musicians sometimes play. The pub An Crúiscín Lán was another music venue but it was recently transformed into a hotel by John Foye. The Boluisce, named after a local lake, is another popular pub-restaurant for seafood.
Once a year, Spiddal welcomes 25 American students spending a semester abroad at the nearby Park Lodge Hotel. The students, from the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, spend a the autumn months studying gaelic literature and culture.
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