The Geography of Connacht:
Connacht, or in Irish Cúige Chonnacht, encompasses the West of Ireland. The counties of Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo make up this ancient province. Major towns are Galway City and Sligo. The rivers Moy, Shannon and Suck flow through Connacht and the highest point within the 661 square miles of the area is Mweelra (2,685 feet). The population is steadily growing - in 2006 it was counted at 503,083. Nearly half of these live in County Galway.
Connacht, or in Irish Cúige Chonnacht, encompasses the West of Ireland. The counties of Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo make up this ancient province. Major towns are Galway City and Sligo. The rivers Moy, Shannon and Suck flow through Connacht and the highest point within the 661 square miles of the area is Mweelra (2,685 feet). The population is steadily growing - in 2006 it was counted at 503,083. Nearly half of these live in County Galway.
The History of Connacht:
The name "Connacht" derives from the mythological Conn of the Hundred Battles. The local king Ruairi O'Connor was High King of Ireland at the time of Stongbow's conquest but Anglo-Norman settlement in the 13th century started the steady decline of Irish power. Galway developed important trade links with Spain, becoming most powerful in the 16th century. This was also the heyday of local "Pirate Queen" Grace O'Malley. Catholic settlement under Cromwell, the Battle of Aughrim (1691), French General Humbert's invasion of 1798 and the great famine (1845) were the most important historical events.
The name "Connacht" derives from the mythological Conn of the Hundred Battles. The local king Ruairi O'Connor was High King of Ireland at the time of Stongbow's conquest but Anglo-Norman settlement in the 13th century started the steady decline of Irish power. Galway developed important trade links with Spain, becoming most powerful in the 16th century. This was also the heyday of local "Pirate Queen" Grace O'Malley. Catholic settlement under Cromwell, the Battle of Aughrim (1691), French General Humbert's invasion of 1798 and the great famine (1845) were the most important historical events.
Connacht Today:
Today Connacht relies mainly on tourism and agriculture - Galway City being a notable exception with several high-tech-industries and a university.
Today Connacht relies mainly on tourism and agriculture - Galway City being a notable exception with several high-tech-industries and a university.
What to do in Connacht:
Apart from the Sligo area the province has no attractions that are amongst the top ten sights of Ireland. There are, however, a number of interesting sights in Connacht - from the Aran Islands to the vibrant student community of Galway City. The village of Cong attracts fans of John Wayne and John Huston, the seminal movie "The Quiet Man" was shot here. Spending a full holiday in Connacht would be most rewarding for lovers of nature and a slow, old-fashioned pace of life.
Apart from the Sligo area the province has no attractions that are amongst the top ten sights of Ireland. There are, however, a number of interesting sights in Connacht - from the Aran Islands to the vibrant student community of Galway City. The village of Cong attracts fans of John Wayne and John Huston, the seminal movie "The Quiet Man" was shot here. Spending a full holiday in Connacht would be most rewarding for lovers of nature and a slow, old-fashioned pace of life.
