Clifden (Irish: An Clochán, meaning “stepping stones” ) is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay.
What is Clifden known for?
Clifden’s great claim to fame is, of course, that it was the site of Alcock & Brown’s landing that fateful day in 1919 when history was so decisively made. That was the day the Atlantic Ocean was finally tamed, when the very first heavier-than-air flight across the Atlantic Ocean reached Ireland’s unsuspecting shores.
How old is Clifden?
CONNEMARA RAILWAY The Galway Clifden railway was opened officially on the 1st of January 1895 and ran through villages including Moycullen, Ross, Oughterard, Maam Cross, Recess, and Ballynahinch, ending in Clifden. The steam train ran at a financial loss for 40 years carrying freight and passengers through Connemara.
Is Clifden Irish speaking?
The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains a major part of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, which is a key part of the identity of the region and is the largest Gaeltacht in the country.
Is Clifden worth visiting?
While it may not be worth spending a night there, Clifden is a nice place to stop if you’re heading from the city of Galway up to Kylemore Abbey or Connemara National Park. Clifden is located on the west coast of Ireland along the coastal driving route known as the Wild Atlantic Way.
Who founded Clifden?
John D’Arcy
John D’Arcy (1785 – 1839)John D’Arcy founded Clifden in 1812. At the time, he was just twenty-six years of age, married and the father of three sons. He was also the proprietor of an estate that covered over 17,000 acres on the west coast of Connemara.
Who owns the station house Clifden?
The other owners are developers Bernard McNamara and Gerry O’Reilly, property surveyor David Courtney, and hotelier John Gallagher. Mr Sweeney owns the Marriott Johnstown House Hotel and Spa in Co Meath, the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Galway and the Clifden Station House Hotel.
How big is Clifden?
371 acres
Clifden/Area
How long is Sky Road Clifden?
16km
1. Location and length. The Sky Road runs for 16km on a circular route from Clifden. It takes you onto the Kingston peninsula, which is also part of the Wild Atlantic Way driving route, before heading back to Clifden via the N59.
Who landed in Clifden?
On June 15th 1919, Alcock and Brown crash landed their Vickers Vimy aircraft in Derrygimla Bog just south of Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway after a harrowing sixteen hour flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland.
What hotel did Golfgate happen in?
On 20 August, Irish Examiner journalists Aoife-Grace Moore and Paul Hosford reported on an event organised by the Oireachtas Golf Society that took place over two days in Clifden, County Galway, including a dinner on 19 August at the Station House Hotel.
Where does the Wild Atlantic Way begin and end?
The Wild Atlantic Way leads along the Irish west coast starting on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal and ending in the little town Kinsale in County Cork.
What is the history of Clifden?
The history of Clifden. John D’Arcy founded Clifden in 1812. At the time, he was just twenty-seven years of age, married and the father of three sons. He was also the proprietor of an estate that covered over 17,000 acres on the west coast of Connemara.
Who owns Clifden Castle?
Hyacinth D’Arcy, John’s son and heir, was forced to sell the town, along with the rest of the D’Arcy estates, in the 1850s. Thomas and Charles Eyre of Bath, England, eventually purchased the Clifden estate for £21,245. Representatives of the new landlords would live on at Clifden Castle until the close of the 19th century.
What was life like in Clifden in 1839?
It prospered until, in 1839, John D’Arcy died. By that time, Clifden had grown from virtually nothing to a town of 185 dwellings, most of them three-floored, two churches, two hotels, three schools, a police barracks, courthouse, a gaol, a distillery and 23 pubs.
What does Clifden mean to you?
Clifden has come a long way since its embryonic days in 1812. Today it represents all that is good about life in the west of Ireland, good food, good friends and good craic.
