Oughterard
- Not to be confused with Oughterard, County Kildare
| Oughterard Gaelic: Uachtar Ard | |
| County Galway | |
|---|---|
 Oughterard | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | M113415 |
| Location: | 53°25’0"N, 9°19’60"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 2,605 |
| Post town: | Oughterard |
| Postcode: | H91 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Galway |
Oughterard is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway. The population of the town in 2006 was 1,305. It is located some 16 miles north-west of Galway on the N59 road. Oughterard is the chief angling centre on Lough Corrib, and is also known as the 'Gateway to Connemara' as it is on the border of Connemara.
Places of interest
Two miles outside the town stand the ruins of Aughnanure Castle, a well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. Much of the surrounding area was occupied by the O'Flaherty clan, but was taken over by Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster, in 1256. Ross Castle is also located a number of miles outside Oughterard. The mansion which is visible today was built by the Martin family in the 17th century but there is some evidence still present of the original castle structure, built in the 15th century by the O'Flaherty family, in its foundation.
The Quiet Man Bridge is located five miles past Oughterard, down the Leam Road, which was the setting for the 1950s film The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.
Also close to Oughterard, the Glengowla Mines (abandoned in 1865) is noted for its rare and beautiful octahedral crystals of fluorite and quartz.
Education
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Oughterard has a primary school, 'Scoil Chuimín agus Caitríona',[1] and a co-educational voluntary secondary school, St Paul's.[2]
People
- Michael Curley (~1850-1884), the father of James Michael Curley, was born in Oughterard
- Dennis Curran, Chairman of Barhale Construction PLC was born in Oughterard in 1944
- John Purcell, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Joe Shaughnessy, a professional footballer with Aberdeen F.C. was born in Oughterard
Transport
Oughterard railway station opened on 1 January 1895 and finally closed on 29 April 1935. There are daily buses going from and to Galway and Clifden. In wintertime on Sunday there is just one bus going from Oughterard to Galway.
References
- ↑ "Scoil Náisiúnta Uachtar Árd". OughterardNS.ie. http://www.oughterardns.ie/. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ↑ "School Homepage". St Paul's Oughterard. http://www.stpaulsoughterard.com/. Retrieved 19 February 2017. ""St Paul's Secondary School is a co-educational voluntary secondary school situated in Oughterard, Co. Galway""
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Oughterard) |