| An Cheathrú Rua Carraroe |
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| — Village — | |
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An Cheathrú Rua
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Galway |
| Elevation | 1 m (3 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Urban | 680 |
| Irish Grid Reference | L943250 |
| An Cheathrú Rua is the only official name. The anglicized spelling Carraroe has no official status. | |
An Cheathrú Rua (anglicized as Carraroe)[1] is a village in County Galway, Ireland. The village is within the Irish-speaking region (Gaeltacht) of Connemara, and is famous for its traditional fishing boats known as Galway Hookers. Its population is widely dispersed over Carraroe peninsula between Greatman's Bay (Cuan an Fhir Mhóir) and Casla Bay (Cuan Chasla). Carraroe has an unusual 'coral' beach, Trá an Dóilín, a biogenic gravel beach actually made of coralline algae known as "maerl".
It is served by Bus Éireann route 424[2] from Galway City.
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An Cheathrú Rua has 2 hotels, Ostan an Doilin and Ostan An Cheathrú Rua.The public houses include Realt na Maidine (An Realt),Tigh 'N Tailliura,An Cistin(Shea's).
Galway Hookers are a distinctive form of native Irish boat, and An Cheathrú Rua is today probably the single most important centre for these boats. Every August bank holiday, An Cheathrú Rua hosts Féile an Dóilín, the largest Galway hooker festival in Ireland, and one of the largest maritime festivals in the country. The 2006 Féile an Dóilín, which is named after the area's unique "coral strand", was the largest gathering of Galway hookers in the history of Galway hooker regattas. The main boats are the larger Báid Mhóra (big boats) and Leathbháid (half-boats), which in earlier times were used for hauling turf from the peat bogs in Connemara to the Aran Islands and the Burren of County Clare, where peat is absent. The smaller boats are the Gleoiteoga, which were traditionally used for fishing.These boats can be found in the Caladh Thadhg area in Carraroe,which is the main pier in Carraroe.From this pier you will get breathtaking views of the Twelve Bens mountains.
Today the main activity of all these boats is racing, and there are numerous regattas along the Connemara coast. Among the most famous boats are An Mhaighdean Mhara ('The Mermaid') and the Mac Duach. Currach racing is held on Loch an Mhuilinn, the lake close to the village. Every year at the festival of Cruinniú na mBád, a large flotilla of traditional Connemara boats race across Galway bay from An Cheathrú Rua to Kinvara.
Féile an Dóilín is the west of Ireland's premier maritime festival, taking place annually on the shores of An Cheathrú Rua, Connemara (Carraroe).
Celebrating this unique region's rich maritime history, the festival has something to offer to everyone, young and old. The festival revolves around the ancient and beautiful Galway Hooker boat. From Paráid na bhFathach (Paraid of the Giant) to the Parade of Sail, lectures on maritime history and boat-making exhibitions, there really is no better place in Ireland to spend the August Bank Holiday Weekend. http://www.doilin.com/
Irish (specifically the Connacht dialect) is the main spoken language of An Cheathrú Rua, the settlement being the most populous Irish speaking village in the Connemara Gaeltacht. It is one of the strongest Irish speaking areas in Ireland. There are two Coláistí Samhraidh which teach Irish to English-speaking secondary-school students from all over Ireland. Students usually stay for three weeks with local families. An Cheathrú Rua is also a centre for the Irish-language media. The main national Irish-language newspaper Foinse had its head office in the village; the Irish-language radio station, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, is in nearby Casla, and the Irish-language TV station, TG4, is based at Baile na hAbhann, a few kilometres east. Catholic church services are in Irish only.All schools Primary and secondary lessons are conducted in Irish.
The name Carraroe no longer has any official standing, with An Cheathrú Rua being the official and only name of the village.
Trá an Dóilín, a blue flag beach near the village, is noted for its very fine "coral". Contrary to the English name (Coral Strand), the beach is actually made of coralline algae known as maerl. This biogenic gravel beach is rare and of great conservation importance. The beach is life guarded throughout the bathing season. This beach is served by public changing rooms and toliet facilities.
Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain is one of the Gaeltacht centres of Oifig na Gaeilge Labhartha (the Department of Spoken Irish) of the National University of Ireland, Galway. The Áras opened in 1977. Courses are held for university students as well as for overseas learners. The centre is named in honor of Máirtín Ó Cadhain, author of Cré na Cille ('The Church-Yard Clay'), an important work of modern Irish language fiction.
The village boasts a strong Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, CLG An Cheathrú Rua, which competes at various adult and juvenile grades.
An Cheathrú Rua is also home to C.S. Mac Dara, a soccer club which competes in the Galway & District League.
Connemara Isles Golf Club is located 5 miles from Carraroe. Situated on the brink of the Atlantic Ocean in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht, this unique island 9-hole course has some of the finest golf holes in the country.
The thatched seaside clubhouse is the ancestral home of the founders of the Connemara Isles Golf Club, the Lynch brothers.
The town is mentioned in the lyrics of the Waterboys' 1993 hit Glastonbury Song, which refers to several Irish and British sites associated with ancient Celtic ritual:
The town is also mentioned in the title of The Corrs' instrumental "Carraroe Jig" on their debut album "Forgiven, Not Forgotten" (1995)
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