Clifden

Clifden An Clochán
—  Town  —
View from John D'Arcy Monument on the Sky Road
Clifden Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°29′00″N 10°01′00″W / 53.4833°N 10.0167°W / 53.4833; -10.0167Coordinates: 53°29′00″N 10°01′00″W / 53.4833°N 10.0167°W / 53.4833; -10.0167
Country	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	County Galway
Elevation	50 m (164 ft)
Population (2002)
- Urban	1,355
- Rural	1,929
Irish Grid Reference	L655510

Clifden (Irish: An Clochán, meaning "bee-hive cell"^[1]) is a town on the coast of County Galway, Ireland and being Connemara's largest town, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglen 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 (1785–1839)^[1] who lived in Clifden Castle (which is now a ruin that can be seen from the Sky Road west of Clifden). The Sky Road in Clifden is one of the best tourist attractions in the entire Connemara region. The circular route is 11 km long and takes you out west from Clifden.^[2]

It is the birth place of Jon Riley, Saint Patrick's Battalion's commander, who fought for Mexico in the Mexican-American War 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 (6 km) 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 ^[3] 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 (53°26′N 10°01′W / 53.433°N 10.017°W / 53.433; -10.017) 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
Dialing Code:	095
Coast Guard:	channels 16,26 and 67
RNLI Lifeboat:

Transport

Road

The N59 road from Galway (77 km away) to Westport, County Mayo (64 km) passes through the town.

Coach

Regular coach services are provided by Bus Éireann and Citylink, connecting Clifden with Galway city. Some bus services operate through Oughterard, to the south of Lough Corrib, while others operate via Clonbur / Headford to the north of Lough Corrib.

Clifden Catholic Church.

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.^[4] The station was later converted into the Station House Hotel, flats, shops and a museum.

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.
• In honor of Jon Riley, on 12 September the town of Clifden flies the Mexican flag.

Clifden town centre

Literature

James Mylet's debut novel Lex is set in Clifden. The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom reviewed the novel as being set in "the fictional town of Clifden on Ireland's west coast", leading to at least one letter pointing out this inaccurate statement.^[5]

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 the 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 Lighthouse

See also

• List of firsts in aviation
• List of towns and villages in Ireland
• List of RNLI stations
• Ballyconneely
• Omey Island
• Goulane
• Jon Riley

Notes

^ A "bee-hive cell" is small, free standing stone dwelling, circular in shape, constructed of stone and corbelled until it closes at the top. It is usually associated with hermits and monks.

References

1. ^ Landed Estates, Family: D'Arcy (Kiltullagh & Clifden Castle)
2. ^ Clifden and The Sky Road
3. ^ The Clifden Station of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph System, Scientific American, Nov 23, 1907
4. ^ "Clifden station". Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-16. 
5. ^ "How are things in Gloccamara?". Irish Independent. Retrieved on 18 June 2011.

External links

• Clifden Chamber of Commerce website
• MarconiCalling: Marconi's Radio Station in Clifden
• Tourist Information for Clifden: Provides information on Clifden's attractions, activities and businesses.
• Connemara Community Radio
• Top Driving roads in Ireland: Sky road in top 5 driving roads in Ireland.
• 360 Panorama Tours from Clifden