Loughrea Baile Locha Riach
Location
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53°11′49″N 8°34′01″W / 53.1969, -8.5669
Irish Grid Reference M621163
Statistics
Province:	Connaught
County:	County Galway
Elevation:	115 m
Population (2002)  - Town:  - Rural:	4,004  832
Website: www.loughrea.ie

Loughrea (Baile Locha Riach in Irish) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town has a range of wooded hills, the Sliabh Aughty, along its southern boundary. Image File history File links Rendition of Coat of Arms of en:Loughrea, Ireland, derived from actual image of coat of arms, image created by uploader. ... Bullet for locations in Ireland, displays location and not area. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... GPS redirects here. ... The Irish national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Ireland. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Connaught redirects here. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist, while several county names have changed. ... Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Galway Code: G (GY proposed) Area: 6,148 km² Population (2006) 231,035 (including Galway City); 159,052 (without Galway City) Website: www. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Galway Code: G (GY proposed) Area: 6,148 km² Population (2006) 231,035 (including Galway City); 159,052 (without Galway City) Website: www. ...

The population of the town and its immediate hinterland is in the region of 4500, and is undergoing a period of expansion, as it increasingly becomes a commuter town for the city of Galway. With this growth, the town has experienced road traffic congestion (becoming known colloquially as "grid-lock-rea"). However, this problem has been alleviated with the opening of a bypass in December 2005. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Connacht County: Dáil Éireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Name

The town takes its name from Loch Riach (Irish for "the grey lake") on which it lies. It is also suggested that the lake's name derives from Loch Riabhach - meaning "speckled lake". (The term 'riabhach/speckled' is used as the name for the local Irish-language multi-faith primary school: Gaelscoil Riabhach.)

Economy

Loughrea was traditionally a farming town that cut its industrial teeth with Tynagh Mines, 6 km to the east. Tynagh was for 15 years (1960-1975) the most important zinc and silver mine in Ireland. As well as being a dormer town for Galway, Loughrea now hosts a number of pharmaceutical and data-processing industries. Tourism and small cottage industries also play an important role in the community. Loughrea's tourist infrastructure is supported by several hotels, a country-resort, as well as many Bed and Breakfasts, Restaurants, Coffee-shops and Pubs. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... A nugget of silver Silver mining refers to the resource extraction of the precious metal element silver, mostly through mines. ...

Places of interest

Crannog reconstruction

The Turoe stone in nearby Bullaun (8km north) is perhaps the most important Celtic monument in the area and the Cathedral of St. Brendan on the lakeshore, in the town centre, is considered an important repositary of Celtic-revival art and architecture in Ireland. Spring-fed, Loughrea Lake overlooked by Knockash is popular for fishing, with an abundance of trout, pike and perch. It is also an important bird sanctuary as well as being popular for water-sports and swimming. Immediately behind the Loughrea boat house are the remains of an old crannog. The Loughrea dwellers of another time would have sought protection from raiders by living in comparative security provided by the lake. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x960, 122 KB)Reconstructed crannog on Loch Tay. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (700x960, 122 KB)Reconstructed crannog on Loch Tay. ... Turoe stone Reference to the Turoe stone at the Castlestrange stone Click to read The Turoe stone is a unique white stone that was decorated in a Celtic style related to the La T̬ne culture of northern modern-day France during the Iron Age. ... A Bullaun or Bullan (from a word cognate with bowl and French bol) is the term used for the depression in a stone which is often water filled. ... This article is about the European people. ... Saint Brendan, (484 (?) Р577 (?)) called the Navigator, is one of the early Irish monastic saints whose legends have overshadowed their history. ... A crannog is the name given in Scotland and Ireland to an artificial island or natural island, used for a settlement and usually linked to shore with a timber gangway or stone causeway. ...

Horse-riding and trekking are well catered for in Aille and Kylebrack, 6km to the south. Karting is catered for in Tynagh, and the Turoe Petting Farm in Bullaun is popular. There is a museum in Dartfield, in Kilrickle, 8 km to the east. A young rider at a horse show in Australia. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ...

Transport

Loughrea was historically served by the Midland Great Western Railway and a railway branch from Attymon Junction, until 1975. This line was Ireland's last operational rural railway branch line, having outlasted most other country railway lines of this type by 10 - 20 years, and even surviving to have diesel trains used on it. The link road from the proposed Ballinasloe - Galway dual carriageway to Loughrea will remove most of the remains of the original trackbed. A committee hearing in Dublin in December 2006, heard that Iarnrod Eireann decided to redevelop the railway line as part of its reconstruction plan for the country' railroads. By 2008 Loughrea may be re-connected to the main Galway to Dublin rail-line. The Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) main line extended from Broadstone in Dublin to the Midlands (Athlone) and onwards to Galway and Clifden in what is now the Republic of Ireland. ... Iarnród Éireann (IÉ; in English Irish Rail), is the largest passenger railway system in Ireland. ...

Sport and culture

Loughrea Lake

St Brendans de la Salle National School, Loughrea

Loughrea GAA Club are currently Galway champions and Connacht Hurling champions. They also reached the 2007 All-Ireland Club Hurling Championship final, but lost out to Ballyhale Shamrocks. Loughrea has a Rugby club, Loughrea Rugby Club, an 18-hole golf course and a competitive Athletic Club. Each year, In October, the town plays host to the BAFFLE International Poetry Slam. Loughrea also boasts a thriving Musical and Dramatic Society, Historical society, and an active community association. In the 2006 National Glór na nGael awards for Irish language in local communities Loughrea's Glór committee was awarded first price in its category as well as prices in other categories. GLOR has an umbrella committee which involves local organisations in the promotion of Irish and the language has a visible presence in the town. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixelsFull resolution (1840 × 1232 pixel, file size: 378 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gavigan 2006 St Brendans National School Loughrea during the late 1960, and 70s De la Salle Brothers administered the Loughrea primary school pupils. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixelsFull resolution (1840 × 1232 pixel, file size: 378 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Gavigan 2006 St Brendans National School Loughrea during the late 1960, and 70s De la Salle Brothers administered the Loughrea primary school pupils. ... The Galway Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the top Galway Clubs. ... The Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Connacht. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. ... Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA is a local GAA Club in Co. ...

See also

• List of towns in the Republic of Ireland
• Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobhair

This is a link page for cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland, including larger villages, and villages and townlands of note, as well as towns, townships or urban centres in Dublin. ... Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobhair, son of High King of Ireland Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, was King of Connacht from 1186-1189. ...

External links

• Loughrea's Multi-faith Gaelscoil
• Discuss Loughrea Matters - Community Forum
• Photographs of Attymon Junction to Loughrea railway trackbed