County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands Travel Guide

Photo: Nina Gonzaludo/shutterstock

With some of the most westerly seaboard in Europe, the old Irish province of Connaught remains a place apart. County Clare, the westernmost part of the old Irish province of Munster, and Galway in the province of Connaught together form the region where the Irish go to reconnect with their heritage, whether by practicing their jigs at the Fleadh Nua folk festival or trading news with a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) resident. Wherever you go in the West, you'll not only see, but more importantly hear, how the best of traditional Ireland survives.

Hotels

County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands Hotels

Some of Ireland's finest country-house and castle hotels are in this area. Dromoland Castle, between Shannon Airport and Ennis, provides a standard of luxury...read more

Restaurants

County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands Restaurants

Because the West provinces have a brief high season—from mid-June to early September—and a quiet off-season, it doesn't have as broad a choice...read more

Things To Do

Things To Do in County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands

Explore the best sights, entertainment, and shopping with our top choices and insider tips.

Hotels

County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands Experiences

  • Top Reasons to Go

    Ancient Aran: Spend at least one night on one of the Oileáin Árainn (Aran Islands), three outposts of Gaelic civilization, which... Read more

  • City of the Tribes

    Galway's founders were Anglo-Normans who arrived in the mid-13th century and fortified their settlement against "the native Irish," as local... Read more

  • Aran Rediscovered

    During the 1800s, the islands, wracked by famine and mass emigration, were virtually forgotten by mainland Ireland. At the turn of the 20th century... Read more

  • A Shopping Tour of Galway

    There's no question about it: they have a different look in Galway. People have always dressed differently, because they dress for the Galway... Read more

  • The Galway Saturday Market

    Locals get up very early on Saturday in Galway in order to get the pick of the goods on offer at the Saturday food market. About 90 colorful... Read more

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