Galway

Galway, city, Republic of Ireland

Galway, city (1991 pop. 50,853), seat of Co. Galway, W Republic of Ireland, on Galway Bay near the mouth of the Corrib River. Industries include tourism, food processing, flour milling, medical instruments, computers, motors, and the production of textiles and furniture. Agricultural produce, salmon, herring, marble, and woolen goods are exported. Galway was first incorporated by Richard II of England in the late 14th cent. In 1651 the town was taken by parliamentary forces, and in 1691 it was defeated by William III after the battle of Aughrim. For centuries Galway traded extensively with Spain, and Spanish influence is noticeable in the architecture. The Church of St. Nicholas dates from 1320. The Lynch Stone behind the church commemorates the execution by the lord mayor, James Lynch Fitzstephen, of his own son for murder. Claddagh, once noted for its unique customs, is a quarter of the town said to be the oldest fishing village in Ireland. Noteworthy is the edifice (1849) of University College, a constituent of the National Univ. of Ireland.

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Galway, county, Republic of Ireland

Galway (gôl`wā), county (1991 pop. 180,364), 2,293 sq mi (5,939 sq km), W Republic of Ireland. The county town is Galway. The county is divided into two sections by Lough Corrib. The mountains of the Connemara region lie to the west; to the east stretches a rolling plain, partially covered with bogs. Principal rivers are the Clare, the Clarinbridge, the Dunkelin, and the Shannon (which forms part of the eastern boundary) and its tributary, the Suck. The shoreline is extremely irregular, and there are numerous islands, the chief of which are the Aran Islands, lying off the mouth of Galway Bay. The main industries are agriculture (sheep, cattle, oats, and potatoes) and fishing (salmon). Marble is quarried, and some light manufacturing has developed.

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Galway

County (pop., 2002 prelim.: 208,826), Connacht province, western Ireland. It is bounded to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Its seat, the town of Galway (pop., 2002 prelim.: 65,774), is at the head of Galway Bay. The descendants of the followers of the Norman Richard de Burgh, who assumed rule in the area in the 1230s, became known as the tribes of Galway. After 1652 the land settlement of Oliver Cromwell established a new class of landed proprietors. Galway is still largely an agricultural region, though it also has light industry, such as cotton spinning and sugar refining. It has the largest Irish-speaking population of any Irish county.

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Galway

1. a county of W Republic of Ireland, in S Connacht, on Galway Bay and the Atlantic: it has a deeply indented coastline and many offshore islands, including the Aran Islands. County town: Galway. Pop.: 209 077 (2002). Area: 5939 sq. km (2293 sq. miles)

2. a port in W Republic of Ireland, county town of Co. Galway, on Galway Bay: important fisheries (esp for salmon). Pop.: 66 163 (2002)

3. a breed of sheep with long wool, originally from W Ireland