Spiddal
| Spiddal An Spidéal | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
|
Spiddal pier | |
  Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates: 53°14′39″N 9°18′21″W / 53.244184°N 9.30586°WCoordinates: 53°14′39″N 9°18′21″W / 53.244184°N 9.30586°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Galway |
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,445 |
| Irish Grid Reference | M130225 |
| The official name of this Gaeltacht village is An Spidéal. | |
Spiddal (Irish: An Spidéal, meaning "the hospital")[2][3] is a Gaeltacht[2] village on the shore of Galway Bay in County Galway, Ireland. It is 19 km (12 mi) west of Galway city, on the R336 road. Spiddal is on the eastern side of the county's Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking district) and of the Connemara region. It is a tourist centre with a scenic beach, harbour, and shore fishing.
The village
Local shops and services include a newsagent's shop, grocery shop, post office, and petrol station in the centre of the village. There is also a pharmacy, a bank, a department store, and a butcher shop. There is a fast food outlet and a Chinese restaurant. On most weekend nights, and sometimes during the week in summer, there is live traditional Irish music in the pubs, most of which double as restaurants. There is a craft centre and gallery to the east of the village, and there is a hotel, and bed and breakfast accommodation.
The village is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway City.
The local river, known variously as the Owenboliskey, Owenboliska, or Spiddal River (Irish: Abhainn Bhoth Loiscthe), flows south from Boliska Lake and enters Galway Bay at Spiddal.[4]
Culture and sport
Each summer, groups of Irish teenagers visit Spiddal for three-week Irish language courses. American students from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Collegeville Township, Minnesota visit for the autumn semester each year to study Irish-language literature and culture. A couple of these students include Tom Greenheck and Molly Sullivan.
The Irish folk-influenced music group The Waterboys recorded part of their Fisherman's Blues album in Spiddal. The television series Ros na Rún is filmed in Spiddal and shown on TG4.
The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is CLG An Spidéal. Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular local sports, and there are also karate and sailing clubs in the village.
Notable residents
- Mary Bergin - Musician
- Ronan Browne - Musician
- Thom McGinty - Actor and stillness artist
- Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin - Journalist, author, sports official and the sixth president of the International Olympic Committee
- Seán Ó Neachtain - Former Member of the European Parliament and Fianna Fáil politician
- Gráinne Seoige - Television presenter
- Síle Seoige - Television presenter
See also
References
- ↑ "Table 8: Population of each Province, County, City, urban area, rural area and Electoral Division, 2006 - 2011". Central Statistics Office Census 2011 Reports. Central Statistics Office Ireland. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Spiddal Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved: 2011-02-06.
- ↑ Spiddal Ordnance Survey Name Books, Galway Public Library. Retrieved: 2011-02-06.
- ↑ Owenboliskey River Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved: 2011-11-20.
External links
- Spiddal Community Website
- Information about Spiddal, including photographs
- Comhlacht Forbartha an Spidéil, the local community development organisation
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