Everything about Clifden totally explained
Clifden (meaning "bee-hive cell") is a town on the coast of
County Galway,
Republic of Ireland and being
Connemara's largest town, it's often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. The town is linked to
Galway city by the
N59 and is a popular tourist destination for those touring
Connemara.
History
The town was founded at the start of the
19th century by John D'Arcy who lived in Clifden Castle (which is now a ruin that can be seen from the Sky Road west of Clifden).
It is the birth place of
Jon Riley, Saint Patrick battalion's commander, who fought along his men in the Mexican-American War in the 19th century.
Clifden gained prominence in the early
1900s when
Guglielmo Marconi built his first high power
transatlantic long wave wireless telegraphy station
four miles south of the town to minimize the distance to its sister station in
Glace Bay,
Nova Scotia. The
first point-to-point fixed wireless service connecting Europe with North America
opened for public service with the transmission of 10,000 words on
17 October 1907 and ceased operation on
25 July 1922 after suffering serious damage in the
Irish Civil War. Transatlantic wireless service formerly provided by the Clifden station was transferred to the more modern Marconi wireless station near
Waunfawr,
Wales. At peak times, over 400 people had been employed by the Clifden wireless station, but none more famous than
Jack Phillips, who later died as the heroic chief Radio Operator on the Titanic.
Clifden is near the landing place of the first transatlantic flight by
Alcock and Brown on
15 June 1919. The plane crashlanded in
Derrygimla bog, close to
Marconi's transatlantic wireless station.
In "the burning of Clifden" in
1921, 14 suspected Republican homes were burnt by the
Black and Tans.
Communications
| Communications |
| Dialing Code: |
095 |
| Coast Guard: |
channels 16,26 and 67 |
| RNLI Lifeboat: |
|
Transport
Road
The N59 road from Galway (77km away) to
Westport, County Mayo (64km) passes through the town.
Coach
Regular coach services are provided by
Bus Éireann and
Citylink, connecting Clifden with Galway city.
Rail
From
1895 to
1935 Clifden was the western terminus of the
Midland Great Western Railway. Clifden station was opened on
1 July 1895, but finally closed on
29 April 1935.
Events
- The Connemara Pony Show, organized by the Connemara Pony Breeders Society and held on the third Thursday in August since 1924.
- Clifden Community Arts Week in late September offers poetry reading, lectures, recitals and traditional music. The festival was first started by teachers in Clifden Community School in 1979 to bring creative arts into the classroom.
- Omey Island Races: horse racing on the beach.
- Clifden Regatta.
Religion
Clifden lies within the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tuam and the
Church of Ireland Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, and its Omey Union Parish. Clifden has two churches: St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) and Christ Church (Church of Ireland).
Places of interest
Twelve Bens
Connemara National Park
Kylemore Abbey a neo-gothic large country house built in 1868 by Mitchell Henry, in memory of his wife Margaret. Purchased by Benedictine nuns in 1920.
Ballynahinch Castle sporting estate of the Martin family, one of whose better known members is ' Humanity Dick' founder of the RSPCA.
Sky Road an 11-km drive along Clifden Bay and Streamstown Bay rising more than 150 m above sea level at Slyne Head, with views of Atlantic, Clifden Castle, coast-guard station, the islands of Inishturk and Turbot and the town.
Derrygimlagh Bog: a natural wilderness of blanket bog 6 km south of Clifden and the site of the Alcock and Brown crash-landing and the Marconi transatlantic wireless station.
Inishbofin
Slyne Head LighthouseFurther Information
Get more info on 'Clifden'.
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