Carraroe
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This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2007) |
| Carraroe An Cheathrú Rua |
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| — Village — | |
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 Carraroe
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| Coordinates: 53°15′56″N 9°35′01″W / 53.2656°N 9.5836°WCoordinates: 53°15′56″N 9°35′01″W / 53.2656°N 9.5836°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Galway |
| Elevation | 1 m (3 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Urban | 680 |
| Irish Grid Reference | L943250 |
Carraroe (Irish: An Cheathrú Rua, its official name)[1] 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 Hookers. 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, a biogenic gravel beach actually made of coralline algae known as "maerl".
It is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway.
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Public houses and hotels [edit]
Carraroe has two hotels, Ostan an Doilin and Ostan An Cheathrú Rua. The public houses include Realt na Maidine (An Realt), Tigh 'N Tailliura, and An Cistin (Shea's).
Galway hookers [edit]
Galway Hookers are a distinctive form of native Irish boat, and Carraroe is today probably the single most important centre for these boats. Every August bank holiday, Carraroe 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.[citation needed] The main boats are the larger Báid Mhóra (big boats) and Leathbháid (half-boats), which in earlier times were used for hauling turf 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 Carraroe to Kinvara.
Féile an Dóilín is the west of Ireland's premier maritime festival, taking place annually on the shores of Carraroe, 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/
Irish language [edit]
Irish (specifically the Connacht dialect) is the main spoken language of Carraroe, the settlement being the most populous Irish speaking village in the Connemara Gaeltacht.[citation needed] It is one of the strongest Irish speaking areas in Ireland.[citation needed] There are two summer schools which teach Irish to English-speaking secondary-school students from all over Ireland. Students usually stay for three weeks with local families. Carraroe 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 Costelloe, 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 school lessons are conducted in Irish.
The name Carraroe is an anglicisation of the official Irish name, An Cheathrú Rua. There are 2,294 people living in the Carraroe ED and an estimated 83% are native Irish speakers.
Trá an Dóilín [edit]
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 algae 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.
Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain [edit]
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, Galway. 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.
Sport [edit]
The village boasts a strong Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, CLG An Cheathrú Rua, which competes at various adult and juvenile grades.
Carraroe is also home to C.S. Mac Dara, an association football 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.
Popular culture [edit]
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)
