Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Loughrea
Loughrea (/lɒxˈreɪ/ lokh-RAY; Irish: Baile Locha Riach, meaning 'town of the grey/speckled lake'), is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains and Lough Rea, the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the urban skyline. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.
The town increased in population in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Although Loughrea serves as a commuter town for the city of Galway, it remains an independent market town. Loughrea is the fourth most populous settlement in County Galway, with a population of 6,322 as of 2022.
The town takes its name from Lough Rea, Irish: Loch Riach (riach being a variant of riabhach meaning grey or speckled). It is situated on the northern shore of the lake. The lake's Irish name is used in the name of the local Irish-language multi-faith primary school: Gaelscoil Riabhach. The town is located within an area that was historically called Trícha Máenmaige, and a barony called Loughrea.
The town is in an area that was historically called Trícha Máenmaige, which was under the control of Ui Fhiachrach Fionn, and later of the Uí Maine. The area contains many examples of Gaelic and Early Christian settlements. There is evidence of crannog settlements on the Lake of Loughrea, with up to 14 individual crannogs identified dating back to the 6th–7th centuries AD.
The modern town was founded in 1236 by Richard de Burgo, an Anglo-Norman knight who built a castle along an ancient route between the River Shannon and the west coast. Today the remains of the medieval town wall, medieval priory, moat and a town gate are all still to be seen. The House of Burgh adopted the names and customs of Gaelic Ireland and became closely intermarried and related to the local Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The Burghs even assumed the White Wand and the role of Irish clan chiefs in the following centuries, until 1543 when Ulick "Bourck, alias Mac William", embraced the surrender and regrant policies of Henry VIII, receiving it back to pass down under primogeniture with the new title, the Earl of Clanricarde.
By the 1700s, Loughrea was a regional market and garrison town. During the Williamite War in Ireland, an attempt by Williamite forces to take Galway was defeated in a short skirmish at Loughrea.
Loughrea was at the centre of the Gaelic Revival towards the end of the 19th century. The various elements of this revival in the town included Celtic Revival Art, the Irish Literary Revival, Gaelic games and the Irish language revival.
Like many towns with garrisons, there was little support for the 1916 rebellion in Dublin, though some locals supported the rising in Galway. There was a Battalion of Irish Volunteers in Loughrea. They were not involved in any major battles and instead they mainly protected the local Sinn Féin Club members.
Hub AI
Loughrea AI simulator
(@Loughrea_simulator)
Loughrea
Loughrea (/lɒxˈreɪ/ lokh-RAY; Irish: Baile Locha Riach, meaning 'town of the grey/speckled lake'), is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains and Lough Rea, the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the urban skyline. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.
The town increased in population in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Although Loughrea serves as a commuter town for the city of Galway, it remains an independent market town. Loughrea is the fourth most populous settlement in County Galway, with a population of 6,322 as of 2022.
The town takes its name from Lough Rea, Irish: Loch Riach (riach being a variant of riabhach meaning grey or speckled). It is situated on the northern shore of the lake. The lake's Irish name is used in the name of the local Irish-language multi-faith primary school: Gaelscoil Riabhach. The town is located within an area that was historically called Trícha Máenmaige, and a barony called Loughrea.
The town is in an area that was historically called Trícha Máenmaige, which was under the control of Ui Fhiachrach Fionn, and later of the Uí Maine. The area contains many examples of Gaelic and Early Christian settlements. There is evidence of crannog settlements on the Lake of Loughrea, with up to 14 individual crannogs identified dating back to the 6th–7th centuries AD.
The modern town was founded in 1236 by Richard de Burgo, an Anglo-Norman knight who built a castle along an ancient route between the River Shannon and the west coast. Today the remains of the medieval town wall, medieval priory, moat and a town gate are all still to be seen. The House of Burgh adopted the names and customs of Gaelic Ireland and became closely intermarried and related to the local Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The Burghs even assumed the White Wand and the role of Irish clan chiefs in the following centuries, until 1543 when Ulick "Bourck, alias Mac William", embraced the surrender and regrant policies of Henry VIII, receiving it back to pass down under primogeniture with the new title, the Earl of Clanricarde.
By the 1700s, Loughrea was a regional market and garrison town. During the Williamite War in Ireland, an attempt by Williamite forces to take Galway was defeated in a short skirmish at Loughrea.
Loughrea was at the centre of the Gaelic Revival towards the end of the 19th century. The various elements of this revival in the town included Celtic Revival Art, the Irish Literary Revival, Gaelic games and the Irish language revival.
Like many towns with garrisons, there was little support for the 1916 rebellion in Dublin, though some locals supported the rising in Galway. There was a Battalion of Irish Volunteers in Loughrea. They were not involved in any major battles and instead they mainly protected the local Sinn Féin Club members.