Welcome to Loughrea
You are very welcome to the Ireland Reaching Out town of Loughrea.
About Loughrea
The town takes its name from Loch Riach(which means "the grey lake in Irish) on which it lies. It is also suggested that the lake's name derives from Loch Riabhach (meaning "speckled lake"). This alternative Irish name is used in the name the local Irish-language multi-faith primary school Gaelschoil Riabhach. The town is within an area that was historically called Tricha Maenmaige.
"The town of the grey lake" sits pleasantly on the shores of the largest limestone lake, after Lough Corrib, in County Galway. The clear waters provide some of the best trout angling available to both native and visitor alike. There is a public park and the small islands here are the remains of crannógs. The greatest jewel in Loughrea is the Cathedral, where one can see Irish craftsmanship and art at its highest level - it is a treasure house of arts and crafts of celtic revival. Architecturally notable are the stained-glass windows by An Tur Gloaine and the banners to designs by J. B. Yeats.
Economy
Loughrea was traditionally a farming town that cut its industrial teeth with Tynagh Mines, 6 km (3.73 mi) to the east. Tynagh was for 15 years (1960–1975) the most important zinc and silver mine in Ireland. There is now a Gas Powered electricity power station on the site of Tynagh mines As well as being a dormer town for Galway, Loughrea now hosts a number of pharmaceutical and data-processing industries. Tourism and small cottage industries also play an important role in the community. Loughrea's tourist infrastructure is supported by several hotels, a country-resort, as well as many bed and breakfasts, restaurants, coffee-shops and pubs.
Transport
Loughrea is connected to the M6 Dublin-Galway motorway via the N65. The town was historically served by the Midland Great Western Railway and a railway branch from Attymon Junction, until 1975. This line was Ireland's last operational rural railway branch line, having outlasted most other country railway lines of this type by 10 – 20 years, and even surviving to have diesel trains used on it. The link road from the proposed Ballinasloe - Galway dual carriageway to Loughrea removed most of the remains of the original trackbed. Loughrea railway station opened on 1 December 1890 and finally closed on 3 November 1975.
