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Strategic planning area and NUTS Region in Ireland
Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
West Ireland is a region on the western (Atlantic) seaboard of Ireland that comprises County Galway, County Mayo and County Roscommon. Visitors are attracted by its inland rivers, lakes, mountains and plains, off-shore islands, beaches, and its rugged coastline. The West Region is largely rural, with only 30% of its population living in urban areas. It is noted for its continuance of Irish traditions, such as the Irish language in the region's Gaeltacht areas.
Almost bisected by Lough Corrib, its east is lowland with ancient towns such as Tuam, while the west is wild scenic Connemara. Galway is the lively city at its core.
Sparsely populated with rugged uplands, bogs and a scattering of islands: scenic Clew Bay has some 140 of them
Its low-lying but poor farmland; east is the upper Shannon navigation network. There are ruined abbeys and prehistoric sites.
By boat
By car
Rental car hire is available in Galway, but you'll find better deals by pre-booked hire from your airport of arrival.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Charlestown · International · NOC
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all three are inhabited, and dotted with prehistoric and early Christian sites. There are daily ferries and flights.
the scenic west of County Galway, with rugged granite peaks. Be grateful you don't have to farm it.
Achill Island is an island just off the coast of County Mayo in the west of Ireland, linked by a bridge to the mainland. It's Ireland's largest island, with some farming but mostly uncultivated heath and hills.
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