Woodford, County Galway

Woodford
An Ghráig
Town
Woodford

Location in Ireland

Coordinates: 53°02′54″N 8°24′01″W / 53.0483°N 8.4003°W / 53.0483; -8.4003Coordinates: 53°02′54″N 8°24′01″W / 53.0483°N 8.4003°W / 53.0483; -8.4003
Country Ireland
Province Connacht
County County Galway
Elevation 73 m (240 ft)
Population (2002)
 • Urban 280
 • Rural 479
Time zone WET (UTC+0)
 • Summer (DST) IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference R732997

Woodford (Irish: An Ghráig, meaning "the village") is a village in County Galway, Ireland. The small hamlet has an industrial history. The town's Irish Name, 'Graig na Muilte Iarainn' means 'The Village of the Iron Mills.' Woodford is in the Southeast of County Galway it is situated between the Shannon River and the Slieve Aughty mountains

The villages existence probably started as a place to house and provide services for the iron workers. The surrounding hills have local iron ore deposits and an abundant collection of oak woods which were used as a fuel for smelting. However most of this has now gone.

The village also had a water-mill in the valley, and in order for this to operate the river was dammed. This is what now appears as a small lake below the village.

Woodford Bay

The Woodford River is a tributary of the Shannon River which flows through the town. The river is dammed and broadens out into a small artificial lake called Woodford Bay, "The Bay". During the previous century it was used as a source power for the corn mill and electric light energy for the town. The Bay is no longer used for these reasons, but within recent years extensive repairs have been done to restore its aesthetic rather commercial value.

Tourism

Woodford is a rural community with multiple amenities within the small village. Within 10 miles of Woodford there are two golf courses, at Curra and Portumna. There is also fishing and boating on the Shannon. The town also includes the ruins of a ring-fort over a thousand years old.

Across the Slieve Aughty, about 30 miles from Woodford in Gort is where the poet William Butler Yeats once lived.

Woodford is less than a three-hour drive from Dublin.

See also

References

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