County Galway – ancient kingdoms, Connemara and the Aran Islands
County Galway has been inhabited since at least 5000 BC, as shell middens along its coast reveal. Long before the county existed, the land was divided among Gaelic kingdoms and territories such as Aidhne, Uí Maine, Maigh Seóla and Conmhaicne Mara, and with the arrival of Christianity many monasteries were built across the region.
Galway became an official county around 1569. Within it, Connemara has always kept its own distinct identity, and inhabited islands such as the Aran Islands and Inishbofin add to the county's rich character. Today several parts of the west of the county are Irish-speaking, keeping language and tradition alive. Do you have a Galway story or family tale? Share it with the community!