Carraroe
Encyclopedia
An Cheathrú Rua is a village in County Galway
, Ireland
. The village is within the Irish-speaking region (Gaeltacht
) of Connemara
, and is famous for its traditional fishing boats known as Galway Hooker
s. Its population is widely dispersed over Carraroe peninsula
between Greatman's Bay (Cuan an Fhir Mhóir) and Casla Bay (Cuan Chasla). Carraroe has an unusual 'coral' beach, Trá an Dóilín.
It is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway City.
from the peat bogs in Connemara to the Aran Islands
and the Burren
of County Clare
, where peat is absent. The smaller boats are the Gleoiteoga, which were traditionally used for fishing
.These boats can be found in the Caladh Thadhg area in Carraroe,which is the main pier in Carraroe.From this pier you will get breathtaking views of the Twelve Bens mountains.
Today the main activity of all these boats is racing, and there are numerous regattas along the Connemara coast. Among the most famous boats are An Mhaighdean Mhara ('The Mermaid
') and the Mac Duach. Currach racing is held on Loch an Mhuilinn, the lake close to the village. Every year at the festival of Cruinniú na mBád, a large flotilla of traditional Connemara boats race across Galway bay from An Cheathrú Rua to Kinvara
.
Féile an Dóilín is the west of Ireland's premier maritime festival, taking place annually on the shores of An Cheathrú Rua, Connemara (Carraroe).
Celebrating this unique region's rich maritime history, the festival has something to offer to everyone, young and old. The festival revolves around the ancient and beautiful Galway Hooker boat. From Paráid na bhFathach (Paraid of the Giant) to the Parade of Sail, lectures on maritime history and boat-making exhibitions, there really is no better place in Ireland to spend the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
http://www.doilin.com/
(specifically the Connacht dialect
) is the main spoken language of An Cheathrú Rua, the settlement being the most populous Irish speaking village in the Connemara Gaeltacht. It is one of the strongest Irish speaking areas in Ireland. There are two Coláistí Samhraidh which teach Irish to English-speaking secondary-school students from all over Ireland. Students usually stay for three weeks with local families. An Cheathrú Rua is also a centre for the Irish language media. The main national Irish-language newspaper Foinse
had its head office in the village; the Irish-language radio station, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
, is in nearby Casla, and the Irish-language TV station, TG4, is based at Baile na hAbhann
, a few kilometres east. Catholic church services are in Irish only.All schools Primary and secondary lessons are conducted in Irish.
The name Carraroe no longer has any official standing, with An Cheathrú Rua being the official and only name of the village.
known as maerl
. This biogenic gravel beach is rare and of great conservation importance. The beach is life guarded throughout the bathing season.
This beach is served by public changing rooms and toliet facilities.
. The Áras opened in 1977. Courses are held for university students as well as for overseas learners. The centre is named in honor of Máirtín Ó Cadhain
, author of Cré na Cille ('The Church-Yard Clay'), an important work of modern Irish language fiction.
(GAA) club, CLG An Cheathrú Rua, which competes at various adult and juvenile grades.
An Cheathrú Rua is also home to C.S. Mac Dara, a soccer club which competes in the Galway & District League
.
Connemara Isles Golf Club is located 5 miles from Carraroe.
Situated on the brink of the Atlantic Ocean in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht, this unique island 9-hole course has some of the finest golf holes in the country.
The thatched seaside clubhouse is the ancestral home of the founders of the Connemara Isles Golf Club, the Lynch brothers.
The town is also mentioned in the title of The Corrs' instrumental "Carraroe Jig" on their debut album "Forgiven, Not Forgotten" (1995)
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The village is within the Irish-speaking region (Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
) of Connemara
Connemara
Connemara 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.-Overview:...
, and is famous for its traditional fishing boats known as Galway Hooker
Galway Hooker
The Galway hooker is a traditional fishing boat used in Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland. The hooker was developed for the strong seas there. It is identified by the distinctive sail formation. It consisted of a single mast with a main sail and two foresails...
s. Its population is widely dispersed over Carraroe peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
between Greatman's Bay (Cuan an Fhir Mhóir) and Casla Bay (Cuan Chasla). Carraroe has an unusual 'coral' beach, Trá an Dóilín.
It is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway City.
Public houses/Hotels
An Cheathrú Rua has 2 hotels, Ostan an Doilin and Ostan An Cheathrú Rua.The public houses include Realt na Maidine (An Realt),Tigh 'N Tailliura,An Cistin(Shea's).Galway Hookers
Galway Hookers are a distinctive form of native Irish boat, and An Cheathrú Rua is today probably the single most important centre for these boats. Every August bank holiday, An Cheathrú Rua hosts Féile an Dóilín, the largest Galway hooker festival in Ireland, and one of the largest maritime festivals in the country. The 2006 Féile an Dóilín, which is named after the area's unique "coral strand", was the largest gathering of Galway hookers in the history of Galway hooker regattas. The main boats are the larger Báid Mhóra (big boats) and Leathbháid (half-boats), which in earlier times were used for hauling turfPeat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
from the peat bogs in Connemara to the Aran Islands
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands or The Arans are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. They constitute the barony of Aran in County Galway, Ireland...
and the Burren
Burren
Burren can refer to:*The Burren, a karst landscape in County Clare, Ireland*Burren, County Down, a village in Northern Ireland*Burren College of Art, an art college in Ballyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland*Burrén and Burrena, twin hills in Aragon, Spain...
of County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, where peat is absent. The smaller boats are the Gleoiteoga, which were traditionally used for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.These boats can be found in the Caladh Thadhg area in Carraroe,which is the main pier in Carraroe.From this pier you will get breathtaking views of the Twelve Bens mountains.
Today the main activity of all these boats is racing, and there are numerous regattas along the Connemara coast. Among the most famous boats are An Mhaighdean Mhara ('The Mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
') and the Mac Duach. Currach racing is held on Loch an Mhuilinn, the lake close to the village. Every year at the festival of Cruinniú na mBád, a large flotilla of traditional Connemara boats race across Galway bay from An Cheathrú Rua to Kinvara
Kinvara
Kinvara is a sea port village located in the south of County Galway in the province of Connacht on the west coast of Ireland. Kinvara is also the name of the parish in which the village is situated. Kinvara is occasionally spelled Kinvarra in English; this may be seen on some maps and road signs,...
.
Féile an Dóilín is the west of Ireland's premier maritime festival, taking place annually on the shores of An Cheathrú Rua, Connemara (Carraroe).
Celebrating this unique region's rich maritime history, the festival has something to offer to everyone, young and old. The festival revolves around the ancient and beautiful Galway Hooker boat. From Paráid na bhFathach (Paraid of the Giant) to the Parade of Sail, lectures on maritime history and boat-making exhibitions, there really is no better place in Ireland to spend the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
http://www.doilin.com/
The Irish language
IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
(specifically the Connacht dialect
Connacht Irish
Connacht Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the province of Connacht. Gaeltacht regions in Connacht are found in Counties Mayo and Galway...
) is the main spoken language of An Cheathrú Rua, the settlement being the most populous Irish speaking village in the Connemara Gaeltacht. It is one of the strongest Irish speaking areas in Ireland. There are two Coláistí Samhraidh which teach Irish to English-speaking secondary-school students from all over Ireland. Students usually stay for three weeks with local families. An Cheathrú Rua is also a centre for the Irish language media. The main national Irish-language newspaper Foinse
Foinse
-History:Foinse was first published in October 1996 as a weekly Saturday newspaper. It was published in Carraroe, County Galway and printed in Tralee. It was first published in October 1996....
had its head office in the village; the Irish-language radio station, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
, is in nearby Casla, and the Irish-language TV station, TG4, is based at Baile na hAbhann
Baile na hAbhann
Baile na hAbhann is a Gaeltacht village and townland about 31 km west of Galway, Ireland, on the R336 regional road between Indreabhán and Casla. The name means "river settlement"....
, a few kilometres east. Catholic church services are in Irish only.All schools Primary and secondary lessons are conducted in Irish.
The name Carraroe no longer has any official standing, with An Cheathrú Rua being the official and only name of the village.
Trá an Dóilín
Trá an Dóilín, a blue flag beach near the village, is noted for its very fine "coral". Contrary to the English name (Coral Strand), the beach is actually made of coralline algaeCoralline algae
Coralline algae are red algae in the order Corallinales. They are characterized by a thallus that is hard because of calcareous deposits contained within the cell walls...
known as maerl
Maerl
Maerl is a collective name for Coralline red algae with a certain growth habit. It accumulates as unattached particles and forms extensive beds in suitable sublittoral sites.-Description:...
. This biogenic gravel beach is rare and of great conservation importance. The beach is life guarded throughout the bathing season.
This beach is served by public changing rooms and toliet facilities.
Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain
Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain is one of the Gaeltacht centres of Oifig na Gaeilge Labhartha (the Department of Spoken Irish) of the National University of Ireland, GalwayNational University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
. The Áras opened in 1977. Courses are held for university students as well as for overseas learners. The centre is named in honor of Máirtín Ó Cadhain
Máirtín Ó Cadhain
Máirtín Ó Cadhain was one of the most prominent Irish language writers of the twentieth century.-Career:Born in Connemara, he became a schoolteacher but was dismissed due to his IRA membership. In the 1930s he served as an IRA recruiting officer, enlisting fellow writer Brendan Behan...
, author of Cré na Cille ('The Church-Yard Clay'), an important work of modern Irish language fiction.
Sport
The village boasts a strong Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
(GAA) club, CLG An Cheathrú Rua, which competes at various adult and juvenile grades.
An Cheathrú Rua is also home to C.S. Mac Dara, a soccer club which competes in the Galway & District League
Galway & District League
Galway & District League is an amateur football league in the Irish province of Connacht, drawing clubs from County Galway .The district league comprises 42 member clubs, with 71 teams, spread across seven divisions....
.
Connemara Isles Golf Club is located 5 miles from Carraroe.
Situated on the brink of the Atlantic Ocean in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht, this unique island 9-hole course has some of the finest golf holes in the country.
The thatched seaside clubhouse is the ancestral home of the founders of the Connemara Isles Golf Club, the Lynch brothers.
Popular culture
The town is mentioned in the lyrics of the Waterboys' 1993 hit Glastonbury Song, which refers to several Irish and British sites associated with ancient Celtic ritual:- We came down from the hill of dreams
- Bernadette, mother earth and you and me
- Through Carraroe, down the wildwood side.
The town is also mentioned in the title of The Corrs' instrumental "Carraroe Jig" on their debut album "Forgiven, Not Forgotten" (1995)
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Tomás Mac Eoin