Carraroe (An Cheathrú Rua - meaning Red or Rugged Area) is a beautiful seaside village located in South Connemara, in the heart of the Irish-speaking Region (Gaeltacht) of Connemara.  It is famous for its traditional fishing boats known as Galway Hookers. Its population is widely dispersed over Carraroe peninsula between Greatman's Bay (Cuan an Fhir Mhóir) and Casla Bay (Cuan Chasla).

Carraroe has an unusual and gorgeous 'coral' beach, Trá an Dóilín, a biogenic gravel beach actually made of coralline algae known as "maerl".

Connemara

 

 

Welcome to Connemara, a place of contrasts, colours, wilderness and warm welcomes on the west coast of Ireland. From the bogs and lakes of the Gaelic speaking South Connemara, to the mountain vistas of North and West Connemara, the diversity of the landscape and the people who populate it offers much to the visitor.

Heading west from Galway city, the villages of Connemara will stretch out before you like a colourful road map of communities and hidden gems just waiting to be explored. Each town or village has its own distinct character and local culture...

 

Dotted around the rugged coastline are the islands of Connemara, some inhabited and others long since deserted, but all remote and beautiful in the wild and windswept Atlantic. Much of Connemara’s wild beauty is due to its remote location and sometimes harsh conditions, but a regular influx of visitors in the last two centuries has produced a region that is proud of its natural beauty, yet still remaining largely unspoiled.

However, as dramatic and breathtaking as the landscape may be, all travellers know that memories and encounters are what make a journey unique. A pint of Guinness on a misty evening by a fireside is as much a part of the true Connemara experience as scaling a hill or mountain to see the spectacular views.

 

 

 

 

A number of events, festivals, fairs and shows take place in each corner of Connemara throughout the year and are highly recommended. See for yourself the pride and passion evoked by the region’s iconic animal, the Connemara Pony at the Connemara Pony Festival held in Clifden every August, or experience the fun and familiarity of a traditional session of Irish music and dance in a local bar. A diverse artistic and cultural scene has also been nurtured in recent decades by the Clifden Arts Festival, which takes place in Connemara’s capital every September.

 

Activities for families, couples and individual travellers are many and varied, ranging from golf, fishing, mountain climbing, hiking, walking, cycling and pony riding to water based activities like swimming, surfing, kayaking and diving.

 

So take a deep breath of fresh salty Connemara air, as clean and crisp as you will find anywhere on the planet and immerse yourself in this special place—it might just be a journey you will never forget!

For more information on what to do in Connemara,  visit www.connemara.net

 

And more to see...

Not far from Carraroe, you can easily travel to Galway (50min), Westport with the Sacred Mountain Croagh Patrick (1h30)and the Burren - with the Cliffs of Moher (2h30).