in* 



OALWAY. 



GALWAY. 



UM 



wort of Galway wen IUUTOW coast-road to Coctello Bay and a central 

 road by Oughterard to BalUnahinfih. Since then, a good coast-road 

 ban been formed, which touches the heads of all the chief inleU from 

 Coctello Bay to the Killery, where it joins an inland line leading 

 through the heart of Joyce Country to the head of Lough Corrib, and 

 thence acron the central plain of lar-Connaught to the southern 

 coast-road at Costello Bay. The construction of numerous piers and 

 fishing harbours on the coast, has greatly facilitated the improvement 

 of the west country. Galway town is connected by good mail-coach 

 roads with Dublin through Balliuaaloe, whence another mail-road 

 runs north-west through Tuam to Westport ; with Limerick through 

 Uort ; and with Clifden through Oughterard. Besides these, there are 

 numerous good cross roads. 



Otology, ilixeraloyy, <tc. The whole country westward from 

 the Shannon and the Suck, including a narrow belt along the 

 western shore of Lough Corrib and the isthmus between loughs 

 Comb and Mask, belong to the great central limestone plain of 

 Ireland, with the exception of the Slieve-Baughta and Slieve-Dart 

 Hills, which consist chiefly of old red-sandstone and millstone 

 grit The granite field before noticed stretches westward from 

 Ualway to Slyue Head, and northward to the southern base of the 

 Twelve Pins, where it is succeeded by gneiss and mica-slate, with beds 

 of hornblende and granular limestone running east and west from 

 Lough Corrib to Clifden. The group of Binabola consists of a 

 schistose quartz of a grayish-brown colour, large sheets of which are 

 exposed on the precipitous sides of all the chief eminences. On their 

 northern bases the limestone, which shows along their southern side, 

 disappears ; and the mica-slate and hornblende rise beyond Kylemore 

 and the passes of Haam Turk into the southern mountains of Joyce 

 Country ; these are succeeded, more northward, by a transition tract 

 of greenstone and grauwacke slate, covered by old red-sandstone and 

 conglomerate, constituting the entire country between the head of 

 Killery harbour and Lough Mask, and extending beyond the bounds 

 of Galway into the mountain ranges of southern Mayo. Westward of 

 the Binabola, the county, with the exception of the hill of Kenvyle, 

 which is a mass of quartz, consists principally of mica-slate traversed 

 by beds of granular limestone, and in some places by veins of graiiite. 

 To the east the range of mountains rising from the northern edges of 

 the granite tract terminates in the hill of Glan ; into the structure of 

 this hill all the formations of the district enter. 



The mountains of the primitive district are highly metalliferous. 

 The neighbourhood of Oughterard is rich in copper and lead ; and 

 the same ores exist in the group of Binabola. Fine green marble is 

 quarried at Ballinahinch at the southern base qf the Binabola, and a 

 beautiful green variegated marble is exported from Oughterard ; the 

 black and variegated marbles of Angliham and Merlin Park near the 

 town of Galway are of a superior quality. In the eastern district 

 ironstone has been found at Woodford, Gort, and Lawrencetown. 

 Manganese is of frequent occurrence in the district about Gort 

 Potters' -clay and yellow ochre are found near Atheury. A line 

 grit, fit for millstones, is raised near Dunmore; and the Slieve-Baughta 

 Mountains afford an excellent stone for polishing marbles. 



Climate, Soil, and Agriculture. The climate is mild, damp, and in 

 some low districts unhealthy ; snow rarely lies in the western district, 

 where cattle are never housed. The coast is exposed to very heavy 

 storms from the Atlantic, which, when they occur in August, 

 generally destroy the potato crop on the coasts and islands, causing 

 those occasional famines which scourge the population of the western 

 coast of Ireland. 



The richest soil in the county occurs in a tract extending from Gort 

 through Loughrea to Portumna, Eyre Court, and Ballinasloe. The 

 wheat produced in the southern portion of this tract is of a superior 

 quality ; and the numerous demesne lands occurring throughout it 

 are among the most fattening pastures in Ireland. The remainder of 

 the eastern district is more an oat and barley country. On the lighter 

 soils great numbers of sheep are fed, principally for the supply of the 

 Leinster graziers, who purchase them for fattening, at the fairs of 

 Ballinasloe. Throughout this district marl is of frequent occurrence. 

 Throughout the entire county, with the exception of demesnes, the 

 dry-stone wall U the prevailing fence. 



Large quantities of bog have from time to time been reclaimed. 

 The system of {arming pursued in the county is in general slovenly ; 

 the system of green crops and turnip husbandry is gradually extend- 

 ing ; but the farmers who adopt new methods form a small minority. 

 The number of acres under crops in 1853 was 235,168, of which 

 16,817 grew wheat ; 83,840 oafe ; 15,751 barley, bere, rye, peas, and 

 beans; 46,184 potatoes; 18,288 turnips; 10,764 cabbage, vetches, 

 and other green crops; 794 flax; an<r45,7SO were in meadow and 

 clover. In 1851 the total extent of plantations amounted to 26,540 

 acre*. On 87,023 holdings in 1851 , there were 23,086 hones ; 12,400 

 mules and awe* ; 1 15,566 cattle ; 327,697 sheep; 86,478 pigs ; 11,711 

 goats ; and 326,016 head of poultry. 



Ballinasloe fair, the great fair for stock in the county, is frequented 

 by sellers from all the western part* of Ireland. The occupations 

 of the population are chiefly agricultural ; but the inhabitants of the 

 sea-coast are mostly engaged in fishing. Coarse liueus, friezes, woollen 

 honiery , and felt hats, are manufactured ; and kelp is mode in large 

 quantities on the coast 



Fithtritt. The fisheries of the coast yield a considerable produce. 

 The fishing districts are Galway an I ( 'lil'.l.-n, comprising t...- 

 217 miles of coast, which had ic 1336 one decked vessel, 116 half- 

 decked, 479 open sailing boats, and 1376 row boats, manned by 8539 

 men and boy* ; while in 1850 there were only 833 fishing-vessels, 

 employing 3596 men and boys. Besides the herring fishery, there is 

 on excellent take of cod, ling, haddock, whiting, and turbot, 

 December to March ; and of gurnet, mackerel, bream, and pollock, 

 from May to August, together with a copious supply of a 

 oysters, lobsters, and crabs. The sun-fish deep-sea fishery is peculiar 

 to this coast. The sun-fish, or baskiug-shark, has its name from only 

 appearing about sun-rise and sun-set, at which times it is ditii.. 

 able by its tail and block-fins protruding from the water. It is killed 

 with the harpoon like a whale ; and as it is 30 feet in length, i 

 tons in weight, five or six men are required, for three hours or 

 to kill a single fish. Several excellent new piers ore in progress of 

 erection for the protection of vessels engaged in the fisheries. 



Divisions and Townt. Galway is divided into 18 baronies, 

 of loughs Corrib and Mask ore the baronies of 1, Hoes, near 

 extensive with the district of Joyce Country; 2, Ballinahinch, i 

 co-extensive with the district of Connemora ; and 3, Moycullen, cor- 

 responding with the district of lar-Connaught East of 1 

 Corrib and Mask, the district bordering on Mayo is occu 

 baronies of 4, Clare ; 5, Dunmore ; and 6, Tyaquiu. The district 

 bordering on Roscommon is occupied by the baronies of 7 and \ 

 Ballymoe andKillion; 9, Kilconuell ; and 10, Clonmacuoon. The 

 district bordering on the Shannon has the baronies of 11, Longford ; 

 and 12, Lcitrim. The district extending from tl 'if the 



county to the head of Galway Bay and to the Clare boundary I 

 baronies of 13, Athenry; 14, Loughrea; 15, Dunkellin; an 

 Kiltartan. The town and neighbourhood of Galway form tlie bar- my 

 of 17, Galway; and 18, the islands of Arran constitute a barony and 

 parish in themselves. 



The following places in the county which are seats of Poor-Law 

 Unions are noticed in separate articles, namely, BAI.I.IX ASI.OE, Cu . 

 GALWAY, GLENNAMADDY, GOBI, LODOHREA, Moi NTUKI.I.K.W, OUUIITI:- 

 RARD, PORTUMNA, and TUAM. The village of AUIIUIM has also been 

 separately noticed. Arronmore, the largest of the Arrau islands, li; 

 described under its more correct designation luisbmore, in the article 

 ARRAN, ISLE OF. 



The following towns and villages may be noticed here, with their 

 populations in 1851 : AhascrayU, a small post- and market-town, 

 situated on the left bank of the Clonbrock River, a feeder of the Suck, 

 7 miles N. W. from Ballinasloe: population, 630. The town, which 

 is clean and neat, possesses a handsome church, and a Roman Catholic 

 chapel. On the high grounds above the town are the beautiful 

 demesne and mansion of Castlegar. Alltcnry, one of the most :> 

 towns in Counaught, situated in a flat, dreary country, 14 mile* K. 

 from Galway : population, 1487. It is said to have existed previously 

 to the Norman invasion ; it subsequently gave the title of b;n 

 the family of the De Berminghams, who built a strong castle n< 

 town ; of the castle there are still some remains. There are also 

 extant some portions of a Dominican monastery founded here by one 

 of the De Berminghams in the reign of John. The walls and gates 

 which inclosed the ancient town may still be traced. At 

 returned members to Parliament from the reign of Richard II. till 

 the Union, when the borough was disfranchised. It is now a poor 

 desolate looking place ; it has, however some shore of business in 

 consequence of the fairs, weekly markets, and petty sessions, tli 

 held in it. liarnu, population 482, besides 1009 in an auxiliary 

 workhouse, is a small fishing village, situated at the head of a creek 

 of Galway Bay, about 4 miles W. by 8. from Galway. The pier at 

 this place U of considerable advantage to the shipping on the coast 

 Near the town are some remains of an old castle, Clarc-Galway, a 

 small village on the Clare River, 7 miles from Galway on the r. 

 Tuam, is only remarkable for the ruins of an old castle of the Do Bur- 

 ghos, and for the remains of a Franciscan monastery founded in 1'J'JO. 

 Clonfert, about 3 miles N.E. from Eyre-Court, had, until lately, the 

 title of a city, and was the seat of a bishop. The city, the sin 

 perhaps in the world, stands on a rising ground on the edge of a vast 

 bog, and comprises the former palace, on ordinary looking country 

 house ; the ex-cathedral, now the parish church, a small structure of 

 the 12th century, and dedicated to St. Brandon; a ruined church of 

 still more ancient date; and a few cabins. The bishopric, founded iu 

 the 6th century, was united iu 1602 to the see of Kilmacdiiugli, and 

 both sees were annexed to those of Kill.il",- :md Kiltcnora by the 

 ('liur<:h Temporalities Act The diocese of Clunfert lie* ilii.lly in 

 Ualway, but comprise* also parts of King's County and Roscouimon. 

 The chapter consists of a dean, archdeacon, and 5 jn. b.'iid.m. - ; the 

 number of benefices is 11. | KIU.AI.OK. | Ihmmuit, situated in u 

 rather pretty country on the Dunmore River, a feeder of the 

 contains a church attached to the ruins of an ancient monastery, tin: 

 remains of an old castle built by the De Berminghams, a Roman 

 Catholic ehapel, a court-hoiwp, and mi infantry barrack. It is a post 

 and market-town, with 880 inhabitants. /'. 



post-town, is situated 94 miles S. by E. from UalliuuHloe, on rising 



t I'liind, overlooking a dreary waste of low boggy country, and has a 



.ell and 940 inhabitants. Jieadfurtl, population 1 1U5, about 14 



