Joyce Country


Joyce Country is a cultural region in counties Galway and Mayo in Ireland. Part of the area falls within the Connacht Gaeltacht. There are about 2,000 people living in the area and about 25% of those are native Irish speakers. Joyce Country lies west of the Lough Mask area, beyond the isthmus; a hilly region in the north of County Galway, extending into the southern part of County Mayo, traversed by green valleys and lonely roads.
There exists a Joyce Country Mountain and Lake District which covers the area south of Lough Mask, including the communities from Clonbur to Maum, Cloghbrack and Finney. Some sources include the balance of the isthmus, extending the region to Cong, Cross and The Neale.
Joyce Country is largely contiguous with the former tribal territories of the Partraige.

Joyce family

One of the first of the family recorded in Connacht was Thomas Joy, who established a minor English lordship in northern Iar Connacht. His territory was the barony of Ross, contiguous to Killery Bay and extending from Cong river to the river. The family became Gaelicised and assimilated into the local Gaelic culture.

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