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Galway

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Galway



 
 
Galway is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 and the only city in the province of Connacht
Connacht

Connacht is the western Provinces of Ireland of Ireland, comprising counties County Galway, County Leitrim, County Mayo, County Roscommon, County Sligo....
 in Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
. The city is located on the west
West

West is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points....
 coast of Ireland. In Irish, Galway is also called Cathair na Gaillimhe: "City of Galway".

The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib
River Corrib

The River Corrib in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river has only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic....
) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at the bottom of the Gaillimh.






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Encyclopedia


Galway is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 and the only city in the province of Connacht
Connacht

Connacht is the western Provinces of Ireland of Ireland, comprising counties County Galway, County Leitrim, County Mayo, County Roscommon, County Sligo....
 in Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
. The city is located on the west
West

West is most commonly a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points....
 coast of Ireland. In Irish, Galway is also called Cathair na Gaillimhe: "City of Galway".

The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib
River Corrib

The River Corrib in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river has only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic....
) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at the bottom of the Gaillimh. The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river". (the mythical and alternative derivations are given in History of Galway
History of Galway

Galway, one of the largest cities in Ireland, situated on the west coast of Ireland, has a complex history going back around 800 years. The city was the only Middle Ages city in the province of Connacht....
.) The city also bears the nickname
Nickname

A nickname is a descriptive name given in place of or in addition to the official name of a person, place or thing. Another class of nickname is the familiar or truncated form of the proper name, such as Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robbie, and Bert for Robert, more properly called a short name....
 City of the Tribes / Cathair na dTreabh, because fourteen “Tribes” (merchant families) led the city in its Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman

The term Hiberno-Norman is used of those Normans lords who settled in Ireland, admitting little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England....
 period. The term Tribes was originally a derogatory phrase from Cromwellian
Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell was an English people Military history of the United Kingdom and Politics of England leader best known for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
 times. The merchants would have seen themselves as English nobility, and hence were loyal to the King. Their uncertain reaction to the siege of Galway by Cromwellian forces earned them this label, which they subsequently adopted in defiance.

The population of Galway city, as at the 2006 census, is 72,414. Galway is Ireland’s fastest growing city.

History


Old Galway
Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe (“Fort at the Mouth (bottom) of the Gaillimh”) was constructed in 1124, by the King of Connacht
Kings of Connacht

The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the c?iced of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named after The Connachta....
, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088-1156). A small settlement eventually grew up around this fort. During the Norman
Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock....
 invasion of Connacht in the 1230s, Galway fort was captured by Richard Mor de Burgh
Richard Mor de Burgh

Richard Mor de Burgh . was the eldest son of William de Burgh and founder of the towns of Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Galway.In 1224, Richard claimed the land of Connacht, which had been granted to his father but never, in fact, handed over....
, who had led this invasion. As the de Burghs eventually became gaelicised, the merchants of the town - the Tribes of Galway
Tribes of Galway

The Tribes of Galway were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of the city of Galway in western Ireland between the mid-13th and late-19th centuries....
 - pushed for greater control over the walled city. This led to them gaining complete control over the city and the granting of mayoral status by the English crown in December 1484. Galway endured difficult relations with its Irish neighbours. A notice over the west gate of the city, completed in 1562 by Mayor Thomas Oge Martyn fitz William, stated “From the Ferocious O'Flaherty
O'Flaherty

O'Flaherty is a major Ireland clan, originally called the Muintir Mhurchadha, of which the name Ua Flaithbertaig became the name of its ruling dynasty....
s may God protect us”. A bye-law forbade the native Irish (as opposed to Galway’s Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman

The term Hiberno-Norman is used of those Normans lords who settled in Ireland, admitting little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England....
 citizens) unrestricted access into Galway, saying “neither O’ nor Mac shall strutte nor swagger through the streets of Galway” without permission. During the Middle Ages, Galway was ruled by an oligarchy
Oligarchy

Oligarchy is a form of government where political power effectively rests with a small Elitism segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military influence or occult spiritual hegemony....
 of fourteen merchant families (12 of Norman
Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock....
 origin and 2 of Irish
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 origin). These were the “tribes” of Galway. The city thrived on international trade. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages

File:Karl 1 mit papst gelasius gregor1 sacramentar v karl d kahlen.jpgThe Middle Ages of European history are a period in history which lasted for roughly a millennium, commonly dated from the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century, marked by the division of Western Christi...
, it was the principal Irish port for trade with Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 and France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was a Republic of Genoa navigator, colonialist and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean?funded by Queen Isabella of Spain?led to general European awareness of the America in the Western Hemisphere....
 is known to have visited Galway, possibly stopping off on a voyage to Iceland
Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
 or the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe or Faeroes are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately half way between Scotland and Iceland....
. He noted in the margin of one of his books that he had found evidence of land beyond the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions; with a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres . It covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface....
 in or near Galway in 1477. During the 16th and 17th centuries Galway remained loyal to the English crown for the most part, even during the Gaelic resurgence, perhaps for reasons of survival, yet by 1642 the city allied itself with the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny
Confederate Ireland

Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649....
 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms

The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in Scotland, Ireland, and England between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch....
. During the resulting Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
Cromwellian conquest of Ireland

The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland refers to the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms....
 Cromwellian forces captured the city after a nine month siege
Siege of Galway

Galway, a port city in western Ireland, was siege from August 1651 to May 1652 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Galway was the last city held by Irish Catholic forces in Ireland and its fall signalled the end to most organised resistance to the Parliamentarian conquest of the country....
. At the end of the 17th century the city supported the Jacobites
Jacobitism

Jacobitism was the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the House of Stuart kings to the thrones of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland....
 in the Williamite war in Ireland
Williamite war in Ireland

The Williamite War in Ireland, also known as the Jacobite War in Ireland and in Ireland as Cogadh an D? R? or The War of the Two Kings, was the opening conflict following the deposition of King James II of England in 1688 when he attempted to regain the throne of his Three Kingdoms from his daughter Mary II of England who repl...
 (it supported King James II of England
James II of England

James II and VII was List of English monarchs, List of Scottish monarchs, and King of Ireland from 6 February 1685. He was the last Roman Catholic Church monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland....
 against William of Orange
William III of England

William III was a Prince of Orange by birth. From 1672 onwards, he governed as List_of_stadtholders_for_the_Low_Countries_provinces William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic....
) and was captured by the Williamites after a very short siege not long after the Battle of Aughrim
Battle of Aughrim

The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobitism and the forces of William III of England on 12 July 1691, near the village of Aughrim, County Galway in County Galway....
 in 1691. The great families of Galway were ruined, the city declined, and it did not fully recover until the great economic boom of the late twentieth century.

Demographics


The population of Galway City and its environs is 72,729 (based on the 2006 census carried out by the CSO
Central Statistics Office (Ireland)

The Central Statistics Office , or in Irish, An Phr?omh-Oifig Staidrimh is the statistical agency responsible for the gathering of "information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions" in Republic of Ireland, in particular the census which is held every five years....
), of which 72,414 live in the city limits and 315 live in the city's environs in County Galway
County Galway

County Galway is located on the west coast of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht. The county takes its name from the city of Galway....
,. If the current growth rate continues, the population of the city will hit 100,000 by 2020.

Galway City (that is, the population inside the city limits) is the third largest in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
, or fifth on the island of Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
. However, the population of the wider urban area, is fourth largest in the Republic of Ireland (sixth on the island) after Dublin
Greater Dublin Area

Greater Dublin Area , or simply Greater Dublin, is a term which is used to describe the city of Dublin and the surrounding counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, County Kildare, County Meath, South Dublin and County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland....
, (Belfast
Greater Belfast

Greater Belfast is an area surrounding and including Belfast in Northern Ireland.It generally is taken to include North Down, Lisburn, Castlereagh and parts of South Antrim including Newtownabbey and Whiteabbey....
,) Cork
Metropolitan Cork

Metropolitan Cork refers to the city of Cork , Republic of Ireland, its suburbs and the satellite towns that feed into it. The term is used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city....
, Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
 (and Derry
Derry Urban Area

The Derry Urban Area is the urban area that includes and surrounds the city of Derry in Northern Ireland, and is part of the Derry City Council area....
). The population of Galway is largely descended from native Gaelic
Gaels

The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group which originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to Scotland and the Isle of Man. They are speakers of the Goidelic languages languages ? Irish language, Scottish Gaelic and Manx language....
 peoples and Norman
Hiberno-Norman

The term Hiberno-Norman is used of those Normans lords who settled in Ireland, admitting little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England....
 settlers. In recent years Galway has attracted a sizeable immigrant community, largely from Poland
Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
 and other Central Europe
Central Europe

Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern Europe and Western Europe Europe. In addition, Northern Europe, Southern Europe and Southeastern Europe may variously delimit or overlap into Central Europe....
an and Baltic States such as Latvia
Latvia

Latvia The Latvians are a Baltic peoples culturally related to the Estonians and Lithuanians, with the Latvian language having many similarities with Lithuanian language, but not with the Estonian language....
 and Lithuania
Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest....
, many of whom work in the service industry. Small but growing Nigeria
Nigeria

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federation constitutional republic comprising States of Nigeria and one Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria....
n and Filipino
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
 communities has also attracted cultural and religious diversity to this west coast city.

At the time of the 2002 Census, 16.3% of the population were aged 0 to 14; 75.5% were aged 15 to 64, and 8.2% were aged 65 and above. Also, 52.9% of the population were female and 47.1% were male. The part of the city with the highest population density was the Claddagh
Claddagh

The Claddagh is an area close to the centre of Galway city, where the Corrib River meets Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls....
 (5,756 people per km²), and the area with the lowest density was Ballybrit (823 people per km²).

Climate


Galway, like the rest of Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
, experiences a year-round mild, moist, temperate and changeable climate, due to the prevailing winds of the Gulf Stream
Gulf Stream

The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Current, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic Ocean ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico, exits through the Straits of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland and Labrador before crossing the At...
. The city experiences a lack of temperature extremes, with temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) and above 30 °C (86 °F) being rare. The city receives an average of 1,147 mm (45.2") of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)

File:MeanMonthlyP.gifIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of Atmosphere water vapor that is deposited on the earth's surface....
 annually, which is evenly distributed throughout the year. Rain
Rain

Rain is liquid precipitation . On Earth, it is the condensation of atmospheric water vapor into droplet heavy enough to fall, often making it to the surface....
 is the most common form of precipitation - hail
Hail

Hail is a form of Precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice . Hailstones on Earth usually consist mostly of ice and measure between 5 and 150 millimeters in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms....
, sleet
Sleet

Sleet may refer to:*Rain and snow mixed, particularly in countries where British English is spoken*Ice pellets, mainly within the United States...
 and snow
Snow

Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. The process of this precipitation is called snowfall....
 are rare in the city, though will sometimes be experienced during particularly cold winters. Galway is also consistently humid, with humidity
Humidity

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean relative humidity. Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor in a Air parcel of air to the saturated vapor pressure of water vapor at a prescribed temperature....
 normally ranging from 70% to 100%, and this can lead to heavy showers, and even thunderstorm
Thunderstorm

File:FoggDam-NT.jpgA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder....
s breaking out when drier east wind
WIND

The Global Geospace Science WIND satellite is a NASA science spacecraft launched at 04:31:00 EST on November 1, 1994 from launch pad 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Merritt_Island%2C_Florida, Florida aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta II 7925-10 rocket....
s, originating in the European continent, clash with this humidity particularly in the late summer.

The average January temperature in the city is 6.8 °C (40.6 °F) and the average July temperature is 16.0 °C (60.8 °F). This means that Galway is said to have a Maritime Temperate climate (Cfb) according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification

The K?ppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classifications. It was developed by Wladimir K?ppen, a Russian climatologist, around 1900 ....
 system.

While extreme weather
Extreme weather

Extreme weather includes weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution, especially severe weather....
 is rare, the city and county can experience severe windstorms
European windstorm

A European windstorm is a severe cyclone windstorm associated with areas of low pressure that track across the North Atlantic towards northwestern Europe....
 that are the result of vigorous Atlantic depression
Low pressure area

A low pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower in relation to the surrounding area. Low pressure systems form under areas of upper level divergence on the east side of upper troughs, or due to localized heating caused by greater insolation or active thunderstorm activity....
s that occasionally pass along the north west coast of Ireland. Most of these storms occur between late autumn and early spring.

Due to the city's northerly location, Galway has long summer days. Daylight at midsummer is before 04:00 and lasts until after 23:00. In midwinter, daylight does not start until 09.00, and is gone by 16:00.

Due to its mild and moist climate, Galway supports plantlife
Plantlife

Plantlife is a wild plant conservation charity, founded in 1989. As of 2007, its membership was 10,500 and it owned 23 nature reserves around the UK....
 not usually found at such high latitudes, such as palm trees and even fig trees.

Politics


City Council


Services such as rubbish collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by a fifteen member city council
City council

A city council is a form of local government, usually covering a city or other urban area, such as a town. The system of government has roots back at least to the Roman Empire....
 elected to five year terms by proportional representation
Proportional representation

Proportional representation , sometimes referred to as full representation, is a category of voting systems aimed at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive ....
, the next such election is due in June 2009. The make-up of the current city council following is:
  • 3 Labour Party
    Labour Party (Ireland)

    The Labour Party is a democratic socialist and social democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. Founded by James Connolly in 1912 as the political wing of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions, it claims to be the country's oldest continuous political party....
    ,
  • 3 Fine Gael
    Fine Gael

    Fine Gael ? The United Ireland Party, shortened to Fine Gael is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. It claims a membership of 30,000, and is the largest parliamentary opposition party in the Oireachtas, the Irish parliament....
    ,
  • 3 Progressive Democrats
    Progressive Democrats

    The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, is a free-market liberal parties in the Republic of Ireland. On 8 November 2008, the party began the process of disbanding, and will formally dissolve later in 2009....
    ,
  • 3 Fianna Fáil
    Fianna Fáil

    Fianna F?il ? The Republican Party , shortened to Fianna F?il is the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the leading party in a coalition government with the Green Party , which also has the support of five Independent Teachta D?la including two former Progressive Democrats ....
    ,
  • 1 Green Party
    Green Party (Ireland)

    The Green Party is a Worldwide green parties political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes....
    ,
  • 2 Independent
    Independent (politician)

    In politics, an independent is a politician who is not affiliated with any political party. Independents may hold a Centrism viewpoint between those of major political parties, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel that any major party addresses....


The changes since the 2004 results include Cllr. Michael Crowe joining Fianna Fáil, Cllr. Cathriene Connolly leaving Labour and Cllr. Danny Callanan leaving Sinn Féin.

Mayoralty


The City Council is chaired by a mayor who is elected to a one year term by their fellow councillors. Their role is mainly ceremonial, although they do have the casting vote. The current mayor is Cllr. Padraig Connelly who was elected Mayor of Galway on June 23, 2008.

Deputies

Galway City is part of the Galway West constituency of Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann

is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote ....
. Its TD
Teachta Dála

A Teachta D?la is a member of D?il ?ireann, the lower chamber of the Oireachtas of Republic of Ireland. The official translation of Teachta D?la is Deputy to the D?il, a more literal translation is...
s are:
  • Noel Grealish
    Noel Grealish

    Noel Grealish is an Republic of Ireland Progressive Democrats politician and a Teachta D?la for the Galway West constituency. He is from the Gaeltacht region of Carnmore, just east of Galway city....
     (Progressive Democrats
    Progressive Democrats

    The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, is a free-market liberal parties in the Republic of Ireland. On 8 November 2008, the party began the process of disbanding, and will formally dissolve later in 2009....
    ). A Native of Carnmore.
  • Michael D. Higgins
    Michael D. Higgins

    Michael Daniel Higgins , known in Irish as Miche?l D. ? hUig?nn, or informally as Michael D., is an Republic of Ireland Labour Party politician....
     (Labour ). Galway City based. He is the party's President and former minister for Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
    Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

    The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is the senior government minister at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the Government of Ireland....
    .
  • Éamon Ó Cuív
    Éamon Ó Cuív

    ?amon ? Cu?v is an Irish Fianna F?il politician and is currently the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. He has been a Teachta D?la for Galway West since 1992 and has previously been a member of Seanad ?ireann....
     (Fianna Fáil
    Fianna Fáil

    Fianna F?il ? The Republican Party , shortened to Fianna F?il is the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the leading party in a coalition government with the Green Party , which also has the support of five Independent Teachta D?la including two former Progressive Democrats ....
    ). Cornamona in Connemara based. He is the current Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
    Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

    The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is the senior government minister at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in the Government of Ireland....
    .
  • Frank Fahey
    Frank Fahey

    Frank Fahey is an Irish Fianna F?il politician. He is currently a Teachta D?la for Galway West .Frank Fahey was born in June 1951 in Galway....
     (Fianna Fáil
    Fianna Fáil

    Fianna F?il ? The Republican Party , shortened to Fianna F?il is the largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the leading party in a coalition government with the Green Party , which also has the support of five Independent Teachta D?la including two former Progressive Democrats ....
    ). Galway City based. A native of Gort.
  • Pádraic McCormack
    Pádraic McCormack

    P?draic McCormack is an Irish Fine Gael politician and is currently a Teachta D?la for Galway West constituency. He is deputy spokesman on the environment and local government, with special responsibility for urban renewal and housing policy....
     (Fine Gael
    Fine Gael

    Fine Gael ? The United Ireland Party, shortened to Fine Gael is the second largest political party in the Republic of Ireland. It claims a membership of 30,000, and is the largest parliamentary opposition party in the Oireachtas, the Irish parliament....
    ). Galway City based with strong Connemara connections.


Economy


Galway Chamber

Galway City, capital of Connacht
Connacht

Connacht is the western Provinces of Ireland of Ireland, comprising counties County Galway, County Leitrim, County Mayo, County Roscommon, County Sligo....
, is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 after Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
 Cork
Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
 and Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
. The city has experienced very rapid growth in recent years. Galway has a strong local economy with complementary business sectors, including manufacturing industry, tourism, retail and distribution, education, healthcare and services that include financial, construction, cultural, and professional.

Employment


Most (47%) of the people employed in Galway work in either the commerce
Commerce

Commerce is a division of trade or production, costs, and pricing which deals with the Trade of goods and service from production, costs, and pricing to final consumer....
 or professional
Professional

A professional is a person who has completed a doctoral or law program or equivalent .A professional is someone who has a professional degree - a number one on the Hollingshead scale....
 sector; with a large number (17%) also employed in manufacturing. Most industry and manufacturing in Galway, like the rest of Ireland, is hi-tech (e.g. ICT, medical equipment
Medical equipment

Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions. These devices are usually designed with rigorous safety engineering....
, electronics
Electronics

Electronics refers to the flow of charge through nonmetal electrical conductor , whereas electrical refers to the flow of charge through metal electrical conductor....
, chemicals, etc.), due to the Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger

File:CelticTigerEconomist.PNGCeltic Tiger is a term used to describe the period of rapid economic growth in Republic of Ireland that began in the 1990s and slowed in 2001, only to pick up pace again in 2003 and then slowed down, once again by 2007 with further contraction in 2008....
 economic boom. Tourism is also of major importance to the city, which had over 2.1 million visitors in 2000, and produced revenue of over €400 million.

Employment by Sector2002%
Agriculture & Mining2001%
Building & Construction1,6866%
Manufacturing, Electrical, Gas & Water4,67917%
Commerce7,61527%
Transport1,1994%
Public Administration & Defence1,4525%
Professional5,55220%
Other5,80521%
Total28,188100%


Culture

Galway is nicknamed Ireland's Cultural Heart (Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann) and is renowned for its vibrant lifestyle and numerous festivals, celebrations and events.

In 2004, there were three dance organisations, ten festival companies, two film organisations, two Irish language organisations, 23 musical organisations, twelve theatre companies, two visual arts groups and four writers' groups based in the city.

Furthermore, there were 51 venues for events; most of which were specialised for a certain field (e.g. concert venues or visual arts galleries), though ten were described as being 'multiple event' venues.

Major squares in the city include Eyre Square
Eyre Square

File:An Fhaiche Mh?r, Gaillimh - Eyre Square, Galway.jpgEyre Square is an inner-city public park in Galway, Ireland. The park is within the city centre, adjoining the nearby shopping area of Williams Street and Shop Street....
 (aka - John F. Kennedy Square), in the centre of the city; and Spanish Parade, next to the Spanish Arch
Spanish Arch

The Spanish Arch is a set of arches built in 1584 in Ireland as an extension of the city walls of Galway, Ireland and intended to protect the city's river quays....
.

In 2007, Galway was named as one of the eight "sexiest cities" in the world.

A 2008 poll ranked Galway as the 42nd best tourist destination in the world, or 14th in Europe and 2nd in Ireland (behind Dingle
Dingle

Dingle is a town in County Kerry in Republic of Ireland on the Atlantic Ocean coast some west-south-west of Tralee and west-north-west of Killarney....
). It was ranked ahead of all European capitals except Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
, and many traditional tourist destinations (such as Venice
Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy, the capital city of the Italian regions Veneto, a population of 271,251 . Together with Padua, Italy, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area ....
).

Irish language and Culture

Galway city has a reputation amongst Irish cities
Cities in Ireland

There are officially ten cities in Ireland, five of these in Northern Ireland and five of them in the Republic of Ireland . The majority of these cities were established as cities before the partition of Ireland in 1921 and only in Northern Ireland have new cities been created since this partition....
 for being associated with the Irish language
Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic languages of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people....
, music, song and dancing traditions - it is sometimes referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland', although like all other cities in the Republic of Ireland, the vast bulk of the city's inhabitants converse mostly in English. The city is well known for its ‘Irishness’, mainly due to the fact that it has on its doorstep the Galway Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Republic of Ireland, The Gaeltacht, or An Ghaeltacht, refers to any of the districts where the government recognizes that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home....
. Irish theatre
Theatre

Theatre is the branch of the performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one or more actor, isolated in time and/or Theater , present themselves to Audience." By this broad definition, theatre has existed since the dawn of man, as a result of human tendency for story telling....
, television
Television in Ireland

Television in Ireland uses Broadcast television system with 625 lines and the PAL colour standard, with NICAM digital stereo sound where applicable....
 and radio
Radio in Ireland

Licensed radio in Republic of Ireland is one element of the wider media in Ireland, with 85% of the population listening to a licenced service on any given day....
 production and Irish music form a component of Galway city life, with both An Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, in Galway city centre, while TG4
TG4

TG4 is a television channel in Ireland, aimed at Irish language speakers and established as a wholly owned subsidiary by Radio Telef?s ?ireann on October 31, 1996....
 and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

RT? Raidi? na Gaeltachta is the Irish language radio service of Radio Telef?s ?ireann in Republic of Ireland, and is available on 92-94FM in Ireland and via satellite and formerly the Internet; unfortunately, the website no longer works....
 headquarters are in the Connemara
Connemara

Connemara , which derives from Conmhaicne Mara , is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway or south west Connacht....
 Gaeltacht in County Galway. Four electoral divisions, or neighbourhoods (out of twenty-two), are designated as Gaeltachtaí. NUIG
National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway is a Tertiary education educational institution located in Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway and was more recently known as University College, Galway ....
 also holds the archive of spoken material for the Celtic languages
Celtic languages

The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic", a branch of the greater Indo-European languages language family. The term "Celtic" was used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707, having much earlier been used by Greek and Roman writers to describe tribes in central Gaul....
.

Architecture

Galway Cathedral
Probably the finest medieval town house in Ireland, Lynch's Castle is in Shop Street
Shop Street

Shop Street is the main thoroughfare in Galway, County Galway in Republic of Ireland.It is a pedestrianised street, containing central Galway's best preserved ancient building, Lynch's Castle....
; it is now a branch of the Allied Irish Bank.

The Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland

The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Like other Anglican churches, it considers itself to be both Catholicism and Protestant Reformation....
 St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church
St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church

The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas is the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use as a place of worship. It is located in Galway in the Republic of Ireland and was founded in 1320, dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of seafarers....
 is the largest medieval church still in everyday use in Ireland. It was founded in 1320 and enlarged in the following two centuries. It is a particularly pleasant building in the heart of the old city.

Its Roman Catholic counterpart, the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas
Galway Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas , commonly known as Galway Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Republic of Ireland and is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city....
 was consecrated in 1965 and is a far larger, more imposing building constructed from limestone. It has an eclectic
Eclecticism

Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases....
 style, with renaissance
Renaissance

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe....
 dome, pillars and round arches, and a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture

Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which evolved into the Gothic architecture style beginning in the 12th century....
 portico
Portico

A portico is a porch that is leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls....
 that dominates the main facade — an unusual feature in modern Irish church building. It was suggested by a church in the city of Salamanca
Salamanca

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca , which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and Leon ....
 in Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
.

Not far from the cathedral stands the original quadrangle
Quadrangle (architecture)

In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building....
 building of National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway is a Tertiary education educational institution located in Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway and was more recently known as University College, Galway ....
 which was erected in 1849 (during An Gorta Mór, the Great Famine) as one of the three colleges of the Queen's University of Ireland
Queen's University of Ireland

The Queen's University of Ireland was established formally by Royal Charter on 3 September, 1850, as the degree-awarding university of the Queen's Colleges of Queen's College, Belfast, Queen's College, Cork, and Queen's College, Galway that were established in 1845 "to afford a university education to members of all religious denominatio...
 (along with Queen's University Belfast and University College Cork). The university holds the UNESCO
UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
 archive of spoken material for the Celtic languages
Celtic languages

The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic", a branch of the greater Indo-European languages language family. The term "Celtic" was used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707, having much earlier been used by Greek and Roman writers to describe tribes in central Gaul....
.

Another of the city's more dominant limestone buildings is the Hotel Meyrick
Hotel Meyrick

The Hotel Meyrick is the oldest hotel in the City of Galway, Ireland. Under various names its history has been intertwined with that of Galway since 1852....
, originally the Great Southern Hotel, built by the Great Southern Railway Company in 1845. Sitting at the southern perimeter of Eyre Square
Eyre Square

File:An Fhaiche Mh?r, Gaillimh - Eyre Square, Galway.jpgEyre Square is an inner-city public park in Galway, Ireland. The park is within the city centre, adjoining the nearby shopping area of Williams Street and Shop Street....
, it is the City's oldest hotel still in operation.

Museum

Recently, The Galway City Museum
Galway City Museum

The Galway City Museum is a museum in Galway City, County Galway, Ireland. It was founded on 29 July 2006, and is located beside the Spanish Arch....
 has been opened, featuring two parts: "Fragments of a City" and "On Reflection." "Fragments of a City" is be mainly about the heritage of Galway, while "On Reflection" is a collection of the most important Irish artists from the second half of the 20th century. This museum was designed to allow tourists and local visitors to really get to understand and know the city of Galway. This museum also houses the statue of the famous poet, Pádraic Ó Conaire
Pádraic Ó Conaire

P?draic ? Conaire was an Irish writer and journalist whose production was primarily in the Irish language....
 which was originally in Kennedy Park, (formerly Eyre Square
Eyre Square

File:An Fhaiche Mh?r, Gaillimh - Eyre Square, Galway.jpgEyre Square is an inner-city public park in Galway, Ireland. The park is within the city centre, adjoining the nearby shopping area of Williams Street and Shop Street....
), prior to its renovations.

Events

Annual events include the:
  • Galway Astronomy Festival (January)
  • Fleadh Imboilg
    Imbolc

    Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated among Gaels peoples and some other Celts cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring ....
     (February)
  • (March)
  • (April)
  • (May)
  • (June)
  • Salthill Air Show (June)
  • (July)
  • Project06 (July)
  • Galway Arts Festival
    Galway Arts Festival

    Galway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is Ireland?s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country....
     (July)
  • Galway Races
    Galway Races

    The Galway Races is a weeklong Ireland horse-racing festival that starts the last Monday of July every year. The races are held at Ballybrit Ballybrit race course in Galway, Ireland and are the only seven-day race meeting in Ireland ....
     (August)
  • (August)
  • (September - May)
  • Galway International Oyster Festival
    Galway International Oyster Festival

    The Galway International Oyster Festival is a food festival held annually in Galway during September, the first month of the oyster season. Inaugurated in 1954, it was begun by Great Southern Hotels manager, Brian Collins, and in 2000 was described by the The Sunday Times as "one of the 12 greatest shows on earth" and was listed in the 1987...
     (September)
  • (October)
  • (October)
  • (November)
  • (November)
  • (November)


Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race

The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo.Though the route is changed to accommodate various ports of call, the race typically departs Europe in September or October, and in recent years has had either 9 or 10 legs, with in-port races at many of the stopover ci...
 The Galway stopover will take place from 23 May - 6 June 2009. This is expected to be the biggest sporting event that Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 has hosted since the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is a golf trophy, donated by Samuel Ryder, which is awarded biennially in an event called the "Ryder Cup Matches" between teams from Europe and the United States of America....
 and will be free for everyone to attend.

Theatre

Galway has a permanent Irish language
Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic languages of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people....
 theatre located in the city centre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe
Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe

Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, also referred to as An Taibhdhearc , is the national Irish language theatre of Ireland. It was founded in 1928....
, which has produced some of Ireland's most celebrated actors. The Druid Theatre Company
Druid Theatre Company

The Druid Theatre Company, was founded in Galway in 1975 by graduates of the National University of Ireland, Galway, Garry Hynes, Marie Mullen and Mick Lally- the first Ireland professional theatre company to be established outside Dublin....
 has won international acclaim for its cutting edge production and direction.

In addition it also has the Town Hall Theatre, a modern art theatre which opened in 1993. It is a 52 week program that covers all aspects of the performing arts including concerts, ballets, musicals and operas. It has been the venue for many Irish film premieres, during the Galway Film Fleadh.

Sport

Galway has a diverse sporting heritage, with a history in sports ranging from horse racing, Gaelic games, soccer and rugby to rowing, motorsport, greyhound racing and others. The Galway Races
Galway Races

The Galway Races is a weeklong Ireland horse-racing festival that starts the last Monday of July every year. The races are held at Ballybrit Ballybrit race course in Galway, Ireland and are the only seven-day race meeting in Ireland ....
 are known worldwide and are the highlight of the Irish horse racing calendar. Over the years it has grown into an annual festival lasting seven days. In motorsport, the Galway International Rally was the first international rally to be run from the Republic of Ireland. Throughout its history it has attracted star drivers from all over the world. The 2007 event was won by twice World Rally Champions Marcus Grönholm
Marcus Grönholm

Marcus "Bosse" Gr?nholm is a former Finland rallying driver. Driving for Peugeot, he won the World Rally Championship in 2000 World Rally Championship season and 2002 World Rally Championship season....
 and Timo Rautiainen
Timo Rautiainen (co-driver)

Timo Rautiainen is a Finland former Rallying co-driver. He is best known for co-driving for Marcus Gr?nholm from 1995 World Rally Championship season to 2007 World Rally Championship season....
.

The city has hurling
Hurling

Hurling is an outdoor team sport of ancient Gaelic Culture origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar....
 and gaelic football
Gaelic football

Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football", "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. It is, together with hurling, one of the two most popular spectator sports in Ireland today....
 teams at all levels, including Father Griffins
Father Griffins

Father Griffins/?ire ?g is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Galway, Republic of Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA. Father Griffins are a Gaelic football club....
 and St. James GAA
St. James GAA

St. James' is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Galway area in County Galway, Republic Of Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA....
. Major football and hurling matches take place at Pearse Stadium
Pearse Stadium

Pearse Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in County Galway, Ireland. The stadium opened on June 16, 1957 as 16,000 people came to watch Galway GAA beat Tipperary GAA in hurling, and Kerry GAA in football, and to watch Bishop Michael Browne bless the facility....
 in the city. The stadium is also the home of the Salthill Knocknacarra Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association

The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation mainly focused on promoting Gaelic games: the traditional Ireland sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, Gaelic handball and rounders....
 club which won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship

The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland....
 in 2006.

Galway United
Galway United

Galway United F.C. was founded as Galway Rovers in 1937. They are a Association Football club currently playing in the FAI Premier Division . Galway first joined the League of Ireland in 1977, having been invited to participate in the Football League of Ireland Cup in the previous year....
 represent Galway in the League of Ireland
FAI League of Ireland

The FAI League of Ireland is the Republic of Ireland's current national football league system created following the merging of the Football Association of Ireland and the Football League of Ireland....
. 'The Tribemen' as they are known to their fans play their home games at Terryland Park
Terryland Park

Terryland Park is a multi-use stadium in Galway, Republic of Ireland, owned by the Galway & District Football League. It is currently used for football matches and has been the home ground of Galway United since 1977....
. The city also hosts the The Umbro Galway Cup, - which is held annually at the home of Salthill Devon F.C.
Salthill Devon F.C.

Salthill Devon F.C. is an Ireland football club currently playing in the A Championship in the Republic of Ireland. The club hails from Salthill and play their home matches at Drom Clubhouse....
 Mervue United F.C.
Mervue United F.C.

Mervue United F.C. is an association football club from Galway in the Republic of Ireland.In November 2008 they won promotion from the A Championship to the FAI First Division....
 have recently gained promotion to the First Division (second tier) of Irish soccer.

There are two Senior rugby union
Rugby union

Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
 teams in the city Galwegians RFC
Galwegians RFC

Galwegians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in Galway, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and plays in the top division of the Irish domestic club competition the Allied Irish Banks All Ireland League ....
 and Corinthians RFC, as well as provincial Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby

Connacht Rugby is an Ireland professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the Magners League and the European Challenge Cup....
 who play in the Magners (Celtic) League
Celtic League (rugby union)

The Magners League is an annual rugby union competition involving regional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is one of the three major leagues in Europe, along with the English Guinness Premiership and the French Top 14....
, hosting their matches at the Galway Sportsground.

Moycullen Basketball Club have been a flagship basketball club in Galway for a number of years, and compete in the National League. They are situated 13 km (8 mi) west of the city. Between Moycullen and Oranmore/Maree Club numerous Irish youth international stars have been produced over the last 10 years - who have represented Ireland at European basketball championships. A new club Titans Titans Basketball Club have recently been created in the city. They also comepete in the National League but have yet to make the breakthrough to the post-season.

Sailing on both sea and lake are popular, as is rowing
Sport rowing

Rowing is a sport in which athletes racing against each other on rivers, lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline....
 in the River Corrib with five clubs providing the necessary facilities and organising rowing competitions. These clubs include: Tribesmen Rowing Club, Galway Rowing Club, Coláiste Iognáid ('The Jes') Rowing Club, St. Joseph's College ('The Bish') Rowing Club, and the NUIG Rowing Club.

The Galway Motor Club provides a focus for enthusiasts.

Near the city centre on College Road the Greyhound Stadium has races every Thursday, Friday and Saturday Night. It was refurbished recently by the Irish Greyhound Board, Bord na gCon
Bord na gCon

Bord na gCon is an Republic of Ireland state-sponsored bodies of the Republic of Ireland charged with regulating and promoting greyhound racing in Ireland....
, where it shares the facility with the Connacht Rugby Team.

Nearby Salthill
Salthill

Salthill is a seaside suburb of Galway city in the province of Connacht in Galway City. This Galway suburb attracts many tourists all year-round....
 has three competitive swimming clubs Shark Swimming Club, Laser swimming club and Galway swimming club. There is also a handball
Gaelic handball

Gaelic handball is a sport similar to racquetball and squash and it is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association....
 and racketball club while there are several martial arts
Martial arts

Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat....
 clubs throughout the city.

Galway has also produced European and World Champion kick-boxers.

"Power walking" and roller blading on the promenade from the Claddagh to Blackrock are popular all year round.

Music

Galway has a vibrant and varied musical scene. As in most Irish cities traditional music is popular and is kept alive in pubs and by street performers. Notable bands from Galway include The Saw Doctors
The Saw Doctors

The Saw Doctors are a folk-rock band from Tuam, County Galway in the west of Ireland. Taking their name from itinerant craftsmen who once traveled from sawmill to sawmill sharpening and repairing saws, the Saw Doctors have a fervent following, especially in Ireland and among Irish-Americans in the United States....
 (from Tuam
Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city....
), and The Stunning
The Stunning

The Stunning were an Ireland Rock music band. They formed in 1987, split up in 1994 and since then have reformed on three occasions, Two of which were in the 21st century....
.

The city holds an annual music festival which started in 1996. The "Early Music Festival" has been incorporating European Music from the 12th-18th century. It encourages not only music, but dance and costumes. The festival invites both professional and amateurs musicians.

The Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival

Galway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is Ireland?s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country....
 (Féile Ealaíon na Gaillimhe) takes place in July. It was first held in 1978 and since then has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in Ireland. It attracts international artists as well as providing a platform for local and national performers. The festival features parades, street performances and plays, musical concerts and comedy acts. Highlights of the festival tend to be performances by Macnas and Druid, two local performance groups. The Arts Festival has attracted such big names in music as Blondie, David Byrne, and Big Tom and the Mainliners.

Education

Two higher education institutions are located in the city, the National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway is a Tertiary education educational institution located in Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway and was more recently known as University College, Galway ....
 and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. The Institute of Technology, in addition to having 2 campuses in Galway City (its administrative headquarters on the Dublin Road and its art campus in Cluain Mhuire), also has campuses in Castlebar
Castlebar

Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town. A campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and the Country Life section of the National Museum of Ireland are two important local amenities....
, Mountbellew
Mountbellew

Mountbellew, also known as Mountbellew Bridge, is a small town located on the N63, between Ballinasloe and Tuam in North County Galway....
 and Letterfrack
Letterfrack

Letterfrack is a small village in Connemara in Ireland founded by the Quakers in the mid-19th century. It is situated 15 km north-east of Clifden on Barnaderg Bay and lies at the head of Ballinakill harbour....
. According to the 2002 census, 40.8% of residents aged 15 and older in Galway had completed third level (higher) education, which compares favourably to the national level of 26.0%.

The offices of the Central Applications Office
Central Applications Office

The Central Applications Office is the organisation responsible for overseeing most undergraduate applications in the Republic of Ireland.The primary mission of the Central Applications Office is to centrally process applications in a fair and efficient manner....
 are also located in the city, this is the clearing house
Clearing house

A clearing house is an institution that collects and distributes information. There are several domains in which they are used, and specific clearing houses of note:...
 for undergraduate college and university applications in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
; a related organisation, the Postgraduate Applications Centre
Postgraduate Applications Centre

Postgraduate Applications Centre is an organisation that processes entry into certain taught postgraduate courses in the Republic of Ireland....
 processes some taught postgraduate courses.

In 2002, there were 27 primary schools and 11 secondary schools in Galway.

Educational Attainment (Aged 15+)2002%
None/Not Stated2,7604.3%
Primary4,93812.1%
Lower Secondary5,91514.5%
Upper Secondary11,54028.3%
Third Level15,54940.8%
Total40,702100%


Other

Galway
The Claddagh Ring
Claddagh Ring

The Claddagh ring is a traditional Ireland ring given in friendship ring or worn as a wedding ring. The design and customs associated with it originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the old walls of the city of Galway....
 is associated with the Claddagh
Claddagh

The Claddagh is an area close to the centre of Galway city, where the Corrib River meets Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls....
, a fishing village located just outside the old walls of the Galway city.

A "Galway Hooker
Galway Hooker

The Galway Hooker is a traditional sailing boat used in Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland. The hooker was developed for the strong seas there....
" is a traditional boat native to Galway. Is also the name of a new local micro-brewed beer.

Infrastructure


According to the 2002 census, the most popular way by which Galwegians travel to work and school was by car (49.3%), followed by foot (29.6%), bus (9.2%), bike (4.1%), motorbike (0.7%) and train (0.3%). The remaining 6.8% travelled by other means or didn't state how.

Airports

Galway Airport
Galway Airport

Galway Airport , or Aerphort na Gaillimhe in Irish language, is located at Carnmore 9 km north of Galway City in Ireland and is managed by Corrib Airport Limited....
 located 6 kilometres east of the city at Carnmore
Carnmore

Carnmore is located at the southern end of the parish of Claregalway, approximately east of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland. Carnmore lies within the Gaeltacht although the vast majority of residents there use English as their first language....
 (midway between Oranmore
Oranmore

Oranmore is a suburban village in County Galway on the outskirts of Galway city in Republic of Ireland. With its major housing developments, Oranmore is rapidly becoming a part of Galway's commuter or suburban belt....
 and Claregalway
Claregalway

Claregalway is a village situated about 10km from the city of Galway in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It was founded on the banks of the River Clare, hence the derivation of its name: Baile Chl?ir na Gaillimhe meaning "town on the Clare, in Galway"....
, has scheduled services connecting Galway to the other major airports in Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
, to major airports in Britain
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and also has flights to a small amount of continental European destinations.

Aerfort na Minna
Aerfort na Minna

Aerfort na Minne , often known as Connemara Regional Airport or as Minna Airport in English language, is located at Inverin, in the Connemara region, 27 kilometres west of the city of Galway....
 (22 kilometres west of the city) operates reqular flights to each of the Aran Islands
Aran Islands

The Aran Islands are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. The largest island is Inishmore the middle and second-largest is Inishmaan , and the smallest and most eastern is Inisheer ....
 (Oileáin Árann).

Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport

Shannon International Airport , is one of Ireland's three primary airports . It is the third busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland with 3.1 million passengers in 2008....
 (90 kilometres) and Ireland West Airport Knock
Ireland West Airport Knock

Ireland West Airport Knock , is an airport located 5.6 km south of Charlestown, County Mayo, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. 630,000 passengers used the airport in 2008....
 (86 kilometres) are also within easy reach of the city, both of which have frequent flights around Ireland and to Britain, Europe and North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
.

Gluas

A light rail network has been proposed for Galway, called the Gluas
Gluas

GLUAS is a proposed light rail for Galway city, similar to the Luas found in Dublin. GLUAS is estimated to cost ?200 million, less than ?10 million per kilometre....
. It will be similar to the Luas
Luas

Luas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a light rail or tram system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways....
 in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
.

Buses

There are two companies providing bus services throughout the city - Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann

Bus ?ireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus....
 and Galway City Direct.

Bus Éireann operate eight City bus services throughout the city proper, seventeen Local/Rural/Commuter services throughout the county and twelve Expressway bus services throughout the country from Galway city.

Galway City Direct operate four bus routes throughout the city.

Many other private bus operators provide links throughout County Galway and nationwide.

Waterways


The River Corrib
River Corrib

The River Corrib in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river has only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic....
 is by far the most important waterway in Galway and a number of canals and channels were built above and through the city. The purposes of these to divert and control the water from the river, to harness its power and to provide a navigable route to the sea. Of these, there were two major schemes - one between 1848 and 1858 and the other during the 1950s. The canals provided a power source for Galway and were the location of the first industries in the mid-19th century. The Eglinton Canal provided a navigation from the sea (at the Claddagh Basin) to the navigable part of the river (above the Salmon Weir Bridge). Most of the mills are still used today for various purposes; for instance, NUIG still uses a water turbine
Water turbine

A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the nineteenth century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids....
 for electricity generation for their building on Nun's Island.

Currently, there are four bridges across the Corrib: the William O'Brien Bridge, the Salmon Weir Bridge, the Wolfe Tone Bridge and the Quincentennial Bridge. There are plans for a fifth bridge as part of the Galway City Outer Bypass project.

The Clare River flows from the North of the County Galway, through Tuam
Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city....
, Claregalway
Claregalway

Claregalway is a village situated about 10km from the city of Galway in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It was founded on the banks of the River Clare, hence the derivation of its name: Baile Chl?ir na Gaillimhe meaning "town on the Clare, in Galway"....
 into Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib

Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Republic of Ireland. The River Corrib/Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the largest loch in the Republic of Ireland and the second largest in Ireland ....
 at Annaghdown, just South of Headford
Headford

Headford is a town in County Galway, located 26 km north of Galway city in the west of Republic of Ireland. The N84 road roads in Ireland from Galway to Castlebar passes through the town....
.

Railway

Galway's main railway (and bus) station is Ceannt Station
Galway railway station

Galway railway station serves the city of Galway in County Galway. The Station itself is located in the centre of the city in Eyre Square. The station is to be redeveloped in the near future, as part of the Ceannt Station Quarter project....
, which opened on 1 August 1851 and was renamed in honour of Eamonn Ceannt
Éamonn Ceannt

?amonn Ceannt...
 in 1966. The station is about to get a major redevelopment, complete with a completely new urban district - Ceannt Station Quarter
Ceannt Station Quarter

The Ceannt Station Quarter is a planned urban area quarter for the city of Galway, County Galway, Ireland. As the name suggests, the new district will be built around the city's rail station - Galway railway station - which itself is going to undergo a major redevelopment as part of the project....
.

The Midland Great Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway

The Midland Great Western Railway main line extended from Broadstone, Dublin in Dublin to the Midlands, and onwards to Galway and Clifden in what is now the Republic of Ireland....
 (MGW) reached Galway in 1851, giving the city a direct main line to its Broadstone Station terminus
Terminal Station

Terminal Station is a 1953 in film English language film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman....
 in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
. As the 19th century progressed the rail network in Connacht
Connacht

Connacht is the western Provinces of Ireland of Ireland, comprising counties County Galway, County Leitrim, County Mayo, County Roscommon, County Sligo....
 was expanded, making Galway an important railhead
Railhead

A railhead is a terminus of a Rail transport line that interfaces with another transport mode, such as shipping....
. The nearby town of Athenry
Athenry

Athenry is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It lies 25 km to the east of Galway city, and is also famous for the song "The Fields of Athenry." One of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle....
 became a railway junction, giving Galway links to Ennis
Ennis

Ennis is the county town of County Clare in Republic of Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway on the main N18 road connecting these two cities....
, Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
 and the south in 1869 and Sligo
Sligo

Sligo , is the county town of County Sligo in Republic of Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is the second largest urban area in Connacht ....
 and the north in 1894. In 1895 the MGW
Midland Great Western Railway

The Midland Great Western Railway main line extended from Broadstone, Dublin in Dublin to the Midlands, and onwards to Galway and Clifden in what is now the Republic of Ireland....
 opened a branch line between Galway and Clifden
Clifden

Clifden 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"....
.

The 20th century brought increasing road competition, and this led the Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway

Great Southern Railway can refer to:* Great Southern Railway - tourism and rail operator* Great Southern Railway - Former railway serving the South Gippsland region in Victoria, Australia...
 to close the Clifden
Clifden

Clifden 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"....
 branch in 1935. Its former junction is still visible from the platforms in Ceannt Station, though it now leads into a bricked-up tunnel. In the 1970s the state railway authority Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann

C?ras Iompair ?ireann is a statutory corporation of the Republic of Ireland, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for the provision of most public transport services in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the Republic and Northern I...
 closed the Sligo
Sligo

Sligo , is the county town of County Sligo in Republic of Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is the second largest urban area in Connacht ....
-Athenry-Ennis line to passenger services. It later closed to freight as well.

However, work is currently underway on the Athenry-Ennis section of the line with a view to reopening it to passenger traffic in Summer 2009. When complete, this work will re-establish the link between the main east-west Galway-Dublin line and the north-south line through Limerick, which was broken when the Athenry-Ennis section was closed, and it will be again possible to go by train from Galway to Cork
Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
, changing in Athenry. There are proposals to develop a suburban rail
Galway Suburban Rail

|}The Galway Suburban Rail system is a planned one-line, three station suburban rail that will operate between the city of Galway and the commuter town of Athenry, both in County Galway, Ireland....
 system within a few years, with regular commuter services between Ceannt Station and Athenry
Athenry

Athenry is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It lies 25 km to the east of Galway city, and is also famous for the song "The Fields of Athenry." One of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle....
, and later a new stop to be added at Oranmore
Oranmore

Oranmore is a suburban village in County Galway on the outskirts of Galway city in Republic of Ireland. With its major housing developments, Oranmore is rapidly becoming a part of Galway's commuter or suburban belt....
.

Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann

Iarnr?d ?ireann is the national railway system operator of Republic of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of C?ras Iompair ?ireann ....
, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
's national rail operator, currently runs six return passenger services each day between Galway and Dublin Heuston
Dublin Heuston railway station

Dublin Heuston, commonly called Heuston station , is one of Ireland's main train station, serving the south, southwest and west. It is operated by Iarnr?d ?ireann , the national railway operator....
, also serving intermediate stations. Travel time is just under 3 hours. The distance by rail between Galway and Dublin is 208 km.

Road

Three national primary roads serve the city: the N17
N17 road

The N17 road is a national primary road in Republic of Ireland, and is part of the Atlantic Corridor route. It begins in County Sligo and ends in County Galway, on the outskirts of the city....
 from the North (Tuam
Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city....
, Sligo
Sligo

Sligo , is the county town of County Sligo in Republic of Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is the second largest urban area in Connacht ....
, Donegal
Donegal

Donegal is a town in County Donegal, in the Province of Ulster, in Republic of Ireland. Donegal is not the county town of County Donegal, despite being its namesake....
), the N6
N6 road

! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" |Destinations ...
 from the East (Athlone, Dublin), and the N18
N18 road

The N18 road is a national primary road in Republic of Ireland, connecting the cities of Limerick and Galway. Ennis and Gort are two major towns on the route, and Shannon Airport is reached via the connecting N19 road ....
 from the South (Shannon Town, Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
 and Cork
Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
). The M4 motorway connects Dublin to Kinnegad
Kinnegad

Kinnegad is a town on the County Westmeath/County Meath border, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the N6 road and the N4 road - two of Ireland's main east-west roads in Ireland....
 and the M6 motorway
N6 road

! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" ||-! align="center" style="font-size: 115%" colspan="2" |Destinations ...
 connects Kinnegad to Athlone; work on extending the M6 motorway
M6 motorway (Ireland)

parent = | motorway= M6| length-km = 57.5| length-mi = 36| length-km-planned = 144| length-mi-planned = 90| direction = E-W...
 to Galway is underway. By 2015, the Galway-Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
 (by 2010), Galway-Limerick
Limerick

Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Republic of Ireland....
 and Galway-Tuam
Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city....
 routes will be motorway or high-quality dual-carriageway standard.

In addition, there are plans for a semi-ring road
Ring road

Ring road is another term for beltway. It may also refer to:* Ring Road * Ring Road * Route 1 * Ring_Road_Delhi* "Ring Road ", a song by the electronic band, Underworld....
 of the city, the , which should also be complete by 2015. There is also an Inner City Ring (Cuar Inmheánach) route that encircles the city centre, most of which is pedestrianised.

Galway is considered the gateway to Connemara
Connemara

Connemara , which derives from Conmhaicne Mara , is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway or south west Connacht....
 and the Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Republic of Ireland, The Gaeltacht, or An Ghaeltacht, refers to any of the districts where the government recognizes that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home....
,including Maam, Maam Cross, Corr na Mona, Ros Muc, Cearna and Carorow. The N59
N59 road (Ireland)

The N59 road is a national secondary road in Republic of Ireland. It commences in County Sligo, south of Sligo City at the Belladrehid interchange with the N4 road north of Ballysadare....
 along the western shore of Lough Corrib
Lough Corrib

Lough Corrib is a lake in the west of Republic of Ireland. The River Corrib/Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the largest loch in the Republic of Ireland and the second largest in Ireland ....
 and the R337 along the northern shore of Galway Bay
Galway Bay

Galway Bay is a large Headlands and bays / sea loch on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south....
 both lead to this wild and romantic region.

Bus travel to the city from all major towns and airports is serviced by many private operators and the national bus company Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann

Bus ?ireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus....
.

Galway Harbour

Galwaycorrib Gobeirne
Galway is the most central port on the West Coast of Ireland in the sheltered eastern corner of Galway Bay. The harbour can be used by vessels up to and the inner dock can accommodate up to 9 vessels at any one time. Pending approval, Galway Harbour may see major changes, should the €1.5 billion development plan go ahead.

Regular passenger ferry and freight services operate between Galway and the Aran Islands
Aran Islands

The Aran Islands are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. The largest island is Inishmore the middle and second-largest is Inishmaan , and the smallest and most eastern is Inisheer ....
. The islands also have regular links with the towns of Rossaveal
Rossaveal

Rossaveal is a fishing and an Irish speaking village in Connemara, Republic of Ireland, and the main ferry port for the Aran Islands in Galway Bay....
 and Doolin
Doolin

Doolin is a coastal village in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, on the Atlantic Ocean coast. It borders the spa town of Lisdoonvarna. It is a well known centre of traditional Irish music, which is played nightly in its three pubs, making it a popular tourist destination....
, which are physically closer but far smaller.

Commuter ferry services have been proposed to the tourism town of Kinvara
Kinvara

Kinvara , is a sea port village located in the south of County Galway in the province of Connacht on the west coast of Republic of Ireland. Kinvara is also the name of the parish in which the village is situated....
, on the opposite side of Galway Bay
Galway Bay

Galway Bay is a large Headlands and bays / sea loch on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south....
.

Major work in the harbour area is due to be carried out in 2009 to accommodate the stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race

The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo.Though the route is changed to accommodate various ports of call, the race typically departs Europe in September or October, and in recent years has had either 9 or 10 legs, with in-port races at many of the stopover ci...
. This is one of the biggest events ever to visit Galway.

Media

Galway can receive all the national radio stations
Radio in Ireland

Licensed radio in Republic of Ireland is one element of the wider media in Ireland, with 85% of the population listening to a licenced service on any given day....
 and television stations
Television in Ireland

Television in Ireland uses Broadcast television system with 625 lines and the PAL colour standard, with NICAM digital stereo sound where applicable....
, as well as cable
Cable

A cable is a large fiber or metal rope, used for hauling, lifting, or towing, or an assembly of two or more insulated electrical conductors, laid up together as an assembly....
 and satellite
Satellite

In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an Physical body which has been placed into orbit by human endeavor. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
 services.

One of the main regional newspapers for the county is The Connacht Tribune
Connacht Tribune

The Connacht Tribune is a newspaper circulating chiefly in County Galway, Ireland and is currently the most popular and successful regional newspaper in Ireland....
 which prints three titles every week - the Connacht Sentinel on Tuesday, the Connacht Tribune on Thursday and the Galway City Tribune on Friday. As of January 2007, The Tribune has a weekly readership of over 150,000.

Another Galway-based newspaper is the Galway Advertiser — a free paper printed every Thursday with an average of 160 pages and a circulation of 70,000 copies. It also prints a free newspaper on Monday called Galway First aimed at the 18-35 market with a lot of emphasis on news, entertainment and sport. It is the main paper of the Advertiser Newspaper Group which distributes 200,000 newspapers per week to a variety of other Irish cities and towns.

Another free paper, the Galway Independent
Galway Independent

The Galway Independent is a free newspaper distributed in Galway on Wednesdays.External links...
, prints on a Tuesday night for Wednesday circulation.

Galway Bay FM
Galway Bay FM

Galway Bay FM is an Republic of Ireland Radio_in_Ireland#Independent_local_radio and operates under a license from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland....
 (95.8 FM) broadcasts from the city to the whole county of Galway
County Galway

County Galway is located on the west coast of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland of Connacht. The county takes its name from the city of Galway....
. Another radio station is Flirt FM
Flirt FM

Flirt FM is the student radio station for the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. It broadcasts at 101.3 MHz on the FM band and a webcast is also available....
 (101.3 FM), which is a student radio station for the National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway is a Tertiary education educational institution located in Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway and was more recently known as University College, Galway ....
 and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. The newest radio station is i102-104fm
I102-104FM

i102-104FM is a regional station in the Republic of Ireland which was launched on 7 February 2008. The station won the licence for a 'youth' orientated station that would broadcast across seven counties in the northwest and west of Ireland, targeting listeners aged between 15 and 34; and was part of a strategy by the Broadcasting Commission...
, a youth-orientated radio station broadcasting from Galway City to seven counties along the north-west coast. It launched on 7 February 2008.

The cable channel City Channel
City Channel

City Channel is an Irish television network that began broadcasting in October 2005, which focuses primarily on local and regional television. It currently operates three stations: City Channel Dublin, City Channel Galway, and Channel South....
, which was originally based in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
, now has a version of the channel specifically for Galway.

Telecommunications


The area code for Galway is 091, or from outside Ireland, +35391.

In 2004, Galway got its own Metropolitan Area Broadband Network; which is made up of 56 kilometres of fibre optic cable. This encircles the city from Knocknacarra to Ballybrit/Ballybane and also incorporates a 6 kilometre extension to the commuter town of Oranmore
Oranmore

Oranmore is a suburban village in County Galway on the outskirts of Galway city in Republic of Ireland. With its major housing developments, Oranmore is rapidly becoming a part of Galway's commuter or suburban belt....
. The network cost €10 million to install.

Furthermore, there are proposals to install a city-wide free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, founded in 1999 as Wireless Internet Compatibility Alliance , comprising more than 300 companies, whose products are certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance, based on the IEEE 802.11 standards ....
 network; which is backed by a former city mayor. Galway-based IT company iZone are planning to also install extra features in certain 'hotspots
Hotspot (Wi-Fi)

A Hot-spot, or Hot spot or HotSpot is a venue that offers internet access over a wireless LAN. It should not be confused with a Hot-zone, which is an internet-sharing WWAN....
', such as wireless telephone and text messaging services, together with live music and video streams.

Crime

Galway is located in the Garda
Garda

Garda can refer to* An Garda S?och?na, the national police of Republic of Ireland* Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy* Garda , a commune on the shores of the Italian Lake Garda in the province of Verona...
 Western Region, which has the lowest crime rate in the country. It has been claimed that Galway is the safest city in Ireland. In 2005 the official figures for 'Galway West' show that the headline crime rate was 23.33 per 1,000 people, compared to Cork
Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the Ireland third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland of Munster....
 city's 27.81 crimes per 1,000 people and Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
's 39.15 crimes per 1,000 people. In 2007 the crime rate had fallen further from the 2005 rate, despite some high-profile assault cases.In january this year there was an attempt to set a polish youth on fire in an apparently racist attack.

Twinnings


Sister cities

The following places are twinned
Town twinning

Town twinning, also known as sister cities, is a concept whereby towns or city in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links between their inhabitants....
 with Galway:
Aalborg
Aalborg

Aalborg is a city in Denmark. Its population, as of 2008, is 121,818, making it the fourth largest in the country after Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense....
, Denmark
Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries....
 (1997)
Bradford
Bradford

Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 (1986)
Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a U.S. state located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. It borders Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north....
, United States of America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (1997)
Chicago
Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States, as well as the List of United States cities by population city in the United States with more than 2.8 million residents....
, Illinois
Illinois

The State of Illinois is a U.S. state of the United States, the 21st to be admitted to the United States. Illinois is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern United States state and the fifth most populous state in the nation....
, United States of America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (1997)
Lorient
Lorient

Lorient, or L'Orient, is a Communes of France and a seaport in the Morbihan Departments of France in Brittany in northwestern France....
, Brittany
Bretagne

Bretagne is one of the 26 regions of France of France. It occupies a large peninsula in the northwest of the country, lying between the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
 (1978)
Maesteg
Maesteg

Maesteg is a town in the Bridgend , Wales, lying at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with the county boroughs of Neath Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taff....
, Wales
Wales

native_name = Cymru|conventional_long_name = Wales|common_name = Wales|image_flag = Flag of Wales 2.svg|national_motto = ...
(2008)
Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and List of United States cities by population in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. state in the United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes and four U.S....
, United States of America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (2001)
Moncton, New Brunswick
New Brunswick

New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only Constitution of Canada bilingual province in the federation. The provincial capital is Fredericton....
, Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 (2002)
Qingdao
Qingdao

, best known in the West by its Chinese Postal Map Romanization Tsingtao, is a major city in eastern Shandong province of China, People's Republic of China....
, Shandong
Shandong

For the people of Shandong, see Shandong people is a coastal political divisions of China of eastern People's Republic of China. Its abbreviation is 'Lu', after the state of Lu that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 (1999)
St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri

Missouri is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska....
, United States of America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (1977)
Seattle
Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the most populous city in the US state of Washington and the Northwestern United States. The encompassing Seattle metropolitan area is the 15th largest in the United States, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest....
, Washington
Washington

Washington is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute....
, United States of America
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (1986)
Waitakere
Waitakere

Waitakere City is New Zealand's fifth largest Territorial Authorities of New Zealand, with an annual growth of about 2%. It is part of the Auckland Region region, and is incorporated in the Auckland metropolitan area....
, Auckland
Auckland Region

The Auckland Region is one of the sixteen Regions of New Zealand of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, New Zealand's largest. It is the most populated region of New Zealand, as well as being the most prosperous in economic terms....
, New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
 (2002)


Adopted ship

  • LÉ Aisling
    LÉ Aisling (P23)

    L? Aisling is a ship in the Irish Naval Service. The ship was named Aisling to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Patrick Pearse. Aisling was one of the first ships to arrive on the scene of the Air India Flight 182 disaster, and participated in recovery operations....
     (1996)


See also

  • List of Galway people
    List of Galway people

    *Patrick Flood*Emily Anderson*Margaret Athy, founder of St. Augustine's Convent in Galway*Nora Barnacle, wife of James Joyce*Francis Barrett , professional boxer...
  • History of Galway
    History of Galway

    Galway, one of the largest cities in Ireland, situated on the west coast of Ireland, has a complex history going back around 800 years. The city was the only Middle Ages city in the province of Connacht....
  • Sieges of Galway
    Sieges of Galway

    The city of Galway, Ireland - built as a naval base and military fort by Tairrdelbach mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair in 1124, refounded as a military outpost and town by Richard Mor de Burgh in 1230 - has been subjected to a number of battles, lootings and sieges....
  • List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Galway)
    List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland

    Abbeys and priories in Ireland lists abbeys, priory, friary or other monastic religious houses in Republic of Ireland. This article does not include foundations in Northern Ireland, which are covered in List of abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland....
  • List of towns and villages in Ireland
  • Cities in Ireland
    Cities in Ireland

    There are officially ten cities in Ireland, five of these in Northern Ireland and five of them in the Republic of Ireland . The majority of these cities were established as cities before the partition of Ireland in 1921 and only in Northern Ireland have new cities been created since this partition....
  • List of cities, boroughs and towns in the Republic of Ireland
    List of cities, boroughs and towns in the Republic of Ireland

    The five cities and five boroughs of Republic of Ireland are defined by the Local Government Act 2001 : the cities were previously referred to as...
  • List of RNLI stations
    List of RNLI stations

    List of Royal National Lifeboat Institution stations by county....


External links