Oughterard

Oughterard (Irish: Uachtar Ard) is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. It is located about 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Galway on the N59 road. Oughterard is the chief angling centre on Lough Corrib.

One of the fastest-growing towns in Ireland, it had a population of 1,846 in 2022, an increase of 40.1% from the 2016 census.

Evidence of ancient settlement in Oughterard includes a number of ringfort, holy well and standing stone sites in the townlands of Ardvarna, Clare, Cregg and Fough West. The Record of Monuments and Places also records the site of a former castle or tower house, no longer standing, in Fough East townland. The remains of this structure may have been demolished when Oughterard's military barracks was built nearby in the mid-18th century.

Three kilometres outside the town stand the ruins of Aughnanure Castle, a well-preserved example of a medieval 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 kilometres 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.^{[citation needed]}

Also close to Oughterard, the Glengowla Mines (abandoned in 1865) is a "show mine" with exhibits on the lead and silver mining history of the area.

Within the town, Oughterard's Catholic church was completed in 1829. This church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, contains a stained glass window attributed to Harry Clarke. The Church of Ireland church, in Fough West townland, was built in 1808 and extended in 1852. Oughterard's court house, now also in use as a library, also dates from the early 19th century.

Oughterard railway station was opened by the Midland Great Western Railway on 1 January 1895 as part of its line from Galway to Clifden. The station, and the line, were closed by the Great Southern Railways on 29 April 1935.

There are daily buses going to and from Galway and Clifden along the N59. City Link and Bus Éireann are the two bus services that travel to and from Galway.^{[citation needed]}