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An Spidéal - The Heartof Gaelacht
"No Better Place"
I could think of no better place to spend a restful few days, weeks, months than in An Spidéal, Spiddal to the non Irish speaking.
Everything you might want is close at hand or within easy distance. If you care to golf, the Galway Golf Club is just down the road a bit. You can hire a boat to go out on the bay, windsurf, or shore fish. If you want to take unique gifts home, the Spiddal Craft Centre is the place to go. YOu can see artists hard at work at their craft, have an interactive dialogue with them and then buy the crafts you have seen made. There are a range of workshops, including candle making, leather work, pottery, screen-printing and siopa Gaeilge, weaving, celtic jewellery, bodhrán making and wood-turning. The Centre also has a restaurant for a quick buite of lunch.
If its music you want, you will find it in Spiddal. On most weekend nights and sometimes during the week in summer time there is live traditional Irish music in the pubs. Hughes' pub in the centre of the village hosts traditional music sessions where famous musicians sometimes play.The Boluisce, named after a local lake, is another popular pub-restaurant for seafood.
One of Co Galway's six Blue Flag beaches, Tra na mBan, is in Spiddal. It is a rural beach which is easily accessible. It is located close to Shannagarraun wood, a Special Area of Conservation. The Oaks and Hazel and Holly and Birch have an under storey rich in ferns, mosses and lichens.
"Ní mór dom mo Ghaeilge a chleacht.**"
An Spidéal is home to Colaiste Chonnacht to which students come from all over Ireland and the world to learn the Irish language, culture and traditions. Students, both international and from across Ireland, spend up to 3 weeks learning Gaelacht. THere has been a revival of the Irish Language in the past decade or so. It was once thought to be disappearing rapidly. Though it is rare to hear it in the Dublin area, It is strong and flowing on the West coast of Ireland. If you want to hear it sung and spoken in the old way, journey to the Arans or Inis Boffin
** I need to Practice My Irish
