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Ballinasloe
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Ballinasloe is a town
in the eastern extremity of County Galway on the border with County
Roscommon. It is the largest town in County Galway after Galway
City. Ballinasloe occupies a strategic location on the main road
linking Dublin and Galway and is one of the principal gateways to
the West. The town owes its origins to its location as a crossing
point on the River Suck, a tributary of the Shannon. A new public
marina has been developed on the river in recent years that allows
traffic from the Shannon navigation to access the town.
Ballinasloe is steeped in history, and is well regarded for the
architectural character of its streetscapes. The planned layout of
the town can be attributed to William Trench, who was conferred with
the Earldom of Clancarty in the 19th Century. This planned layout
consists of wide streets, a market square, fair green, show grounds
and town hall. The town can trace its roots back even further with
the existence of three ringforts in the town and two possible
Crannog sites which date back to the 1st century. Three Medieval
Tower Houses are located in the locality as does a well preserved
Early medieval parish Church at Templepoilin Pollboy, built in about
the 9th Century by the Augustinian Monks of Clontuskert.
Every October, Ballinasloe is host to the ancient annual October
Fair. Chiefly agricultural in the past, it is now focused on the
horse. The Ballinasloe Horse Fair is one of the oldest horse fairs
in Europe. Today the ever popular fair is still held, along with a
festival that attracts up to 100,000 visitors from all over the
world. Ballinasloe also offers a choice of horse and pony riding
facilities, stables and regular show jumping features which normally
take place in the show grounds or on the Fair Green
The River Suck in Ballinasloe is deep and slow - it is probably
Ireland's most productive coarse fishing river. There are great
shoals of bream to 8Ibs everywhere. The stretch south of the town
near Coreen ford has an excellent stock of tench to 6Ibs and rudd to
2Ibs are common. Lough Acalla is a rainbow trout fishery near
Kilconnell, west of Ballinasloe.
Ballinasloe is at the heart of a part of Ireland rich in tourism
facilities, and being at the "Gateway to the West" is an ideal base
from which to visit the many facilities within easy driving
distance. |
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Ballinasloe Holiday Homes - County Galway, Ireland