Kilkieran


Cill Chiaráin is a coastal village in the Connemara area of County Galway, in the Republic of Ireland. The R340 passes through Cill Chiaráin.
Cill Chiaráin lies within the Irish Gaelic speaking, or Gaeltacht region of Ireland. Coláiste Sheoisaimh hosts Irish language courses within the village.

Name

The village is named after Saint Ciarán, "Cill Chiaráin" translates to "Ciarán's church" from Irish.
The village shares its name with a second Cill Chiaráin in County Kilkenny.

History

On St Ciarán's feast day, there is a day of celebration in honour of the saint held in the village. Organised by the local festival committee, Coiste Fhéile Chill Chiaráin, there is a Roman Catholic mass performed at the well which St Ciarán blessed back in the 6th century.

Amenities

Cill Chiaráin has a number of facilities and public buildings, including a health centre, a local supermarket, a national school, community hall, church and fish factory. Tigh Chadhain, Coyne's Bar & Bistro, is a family-run business.
The Arramara Teo seaweed factory is also nearby. The company was previously Irish owned, but has since been bought by a Canadian company.
The village also has a children's playground and the Páirc Peile Chill Chiaráin which opened in 2015. The playground serves Carna and Cill Chiaráin and the astro turf pitch used by the local GAA team, Carna-Cashel and the athletics club.