Clifden

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Clifden
An Clochán
Location
Location of Clifden
centerMap highlighting Clifden
Irish grid reference
L655510
Statistics
Province: Connacht
County: County Galway
Elevation: 50 m
Population (2002)
 - Town:
 - Environs:		  
1,355 
1,929

Clifden (Irish: An Clochán, meaning "bee-hive cell"[1]) is a town on the coast of County Galway, Republic of Ireland and being Connemara's largest town, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. The town is linked to Galway city by the N59 and is a popular tourist destination for those touring Connemara.

Contents

[edit] History

The town was founded at the start of the 19th century by John D'Arcy who lived in Clifden Castle (which is now a ruin that can be seen from the Sky Road west of Clifden).

It is the birth place of Jon Riley, Saint Patrick battalion's commander, who fought along his men in the Mexican-American War in the 19th century.

Clifden gained prominence in the early 1900s when Guglielmo Marconi built his first high power transatlantic long wave wireless telegraphy station four miles south of the town to minimize the distance to its sister station in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. The first point-to-point fixed wireless service connecting Europe with North America opened for public service with the transmission of 10,000 words on 17 October 1907 and ceased operation on 25 July 1922 after suffering serious damage in the Irish Civil War. Transatlantic wireless service [1] formerly provided by the Clifden station was transferred to the more modern Marconi wireless station near Waunfawr, Wales. At peak times, over 400 people had been employed by the Clifden wireless station, but none more famous than Jack Phillips, who later died as the heroic chief Radio Operator on the Titanic.

Clifden is near the landing place (53°26′N, 10°01′W) of the first transatlantic flight by Alcock and Brown on 15 June 1919. The plane crashlanded in Derrygimla bog, close to Marconi's transatlantic wireless station.

In "the burning of Clifden" in 1921, 14 suspected Republican homes were burnt by the Black and Tans.

[edit] Communications

Communications
Dialing Code: 095
Coast Guard: channels 16,26 and 67
RNLI Lifeboat:
View from D'Arcy Monument
View from D'Arcy Monument

[edit] Transport

[edit] Road

The N59 road from Galway (77km away) to Westport, County Mayo (64km) passes through the town.

[edit] Coach

Regular coach services are provided by Bus Éireann and Citylink, connecting Clifden with Galway city.

[edit] Rail

From 1895 to 1935 Clifden was the western terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway. Clifden station was opened on 1 July 1895, but finally closed on 29 April 1935.[2]

[edit] Events

  • The Connemara Pony Show, organized by the Connemara Pony Breeders Society and held on the third Thursday in August since 1924.
  • Clifden Community Arts Week in late September offers poetry reading, lectures, recitals and traditional music. The festival was first started by teachers in Clifden Community School in 1979 to bring creative arts into the classroom.
  • Omey Island Races: horse racing on the beach.
  • Clifden Regatta.

[edit] Religion

Clifden lies within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tuam and the Church of Ireland Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, and its Omey Union Parish. Clifden has two churches: St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) and Christ Church (Church of Ireland).

[edit] Places of interest

[edit] See also

The centre of Clifden
The centre of Clifden

[edit] Notes

^  A "bee-hive cell" is small, free standing stone dwelling, circular in shape, constructed of stone and corbelled until it closes at the top. It is usually associated with hermits and monks.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Clifden Station of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph System, Scientific American, Nov 23, 1907
  2. ^ Clifden station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-09-16.


[edit] News and Media


[edit] External links

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