Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Out of Galway: the Connemara
Countryside
Head north from Galway, and you'll immediately find yourself in the sparsely-populated and
mostly wild hinterland known as Connemara. It's a sprawling open space of glacial lakes,
massive boulders, and sharp-sided mountains unlike any other place on earth. And from late
spring to early fall, it shimmers with some of the most vibrant green foliage you'll ever lay
eyes on.
If you plan to spend any time in Connemara, bear in mind that it's one of the prouder areas
within the Gaeltacht (the Gaelic-speaking part of Ireland - see p. 37), and locals, especially
of the older generations, will greatly appreciate any effort you make to speak with them in
the Irish language. Of course, they're universally fluent in English, so you'll be able to get
by without much trouble. But it's a great way to feel connected to the proud Irish community
that calls this beautiful countryside home.
Getting In & Getting Around
There's no rail connection to Connemara, so you'll have to take the train to Galway and then
take either a bus, cab, or sightseeing tour to get in. By
bus
, the journey is about 2 hours,
but buses leave multiple times each day and there are a couple of different routes available
depending on your specific destination. Many local drivers lead
day trips
from Galway that
will pick you up in the morning, drive you to some of the best sights in Connemara, then
