Figure 1.--This photos were taken in the early-1910s dcade around the turn of the 20th century. It was the square of Ahascragh, in southeast Galway. It is a typical Irish villge with thatched roofs and white-washed adjoined cottages. The boys wear flat caps, suits with Eton collars, and knee pants. Caps were often almosd universal, but most Irish boys went barefoot at the time, especilly outside the major cities. The Dillon family was very important in the area. Lord Clonbrock was listed as a resident proprietor in county Galway. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Lord Clonbrock was one of the principal lessors in the parishes of Ahascragh, Fohanagh, Killalaghtan and Killosolan. The Clonbrock estate in county Galway amounted to over 28,000 acres in a country with argdely landless peasantry (1870s). Some of the Dillon family' lsand holdings were untented as a result of the Potato Famine and migration to America.

Connacht in the northwest is composed of Galway (Galway City), Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo. With onky these only five counties Connacht is the smallest of the four provinces. Some of Irekand's dramatic wild landscapehe are located in Connacht. Shannon rises in Connacht, flowing south into the interior of Ireland. Kylemore Abbey and Croagh Patrick are imprtant attractions. In the European Dark Ages, Connacht was composed of independent Gaelic kingdoms (Lúighne, Uí Maine, and Iar Connacht). They were disrupted by oinslught of the Norsemn, but over time Connacht rulers expanded their kinddoms. The Kingdom of Connacht collapsed becuse of civil war dividinhg the royal family (1230s). This was a disaster for Ireland. It created a power vacuum which facilitated the spread of English (Norman) power into Ireland for the first time (13th century). Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught, and his successors alloweed extensive Hiberno-Norman settlement creating a Norman colony in Connacht. It then declined !4th century). There were a upsurge of violence, including ther Battle of Ahascragh (1307), Second Battle of Athenry (1316) and the murder of William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster (1333). The result was a Gaelic resurgence and flight from the countryside to towns (Ballinrobe, Loughrea, Athenry, and Galway). Thus for three centuries Well, Gaelic kingoms reasserted control (Uí Maine and Tír Fhíacrach Múaidhe). In addition, many Norman families (Burgh, de Bermingham, de Exeter, de Staunton) were Galicized. They bgan to develop important trade links with Spain. The infamous Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley came from Connacht. The English only reaseted control during Elizabeth's reign (late-16th century). It is at this time that Connacht was shired into the modern counties. Olivedr Cromwell during his brutal pacification of Ireland famously said, "To Hell or to Connacht!" (17th century). The Battle of Aughrim The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War settling English control (1691). French General Humbert's invaded (1798). Connacht's had a population of 1.4 million (early-19th century). As a result of the Potato Famine (1840s) often called the Great Famine, and resulting migration. The population fell to a mere 0.4 million. The population never recovered. The population of Connacht is nowe only about 0.55 milion (2010s), about a third of the pre-Famine population. English cultural influence was not as strong in the west as in the east, rather like the Scottish Highlands. Connacht despite bordrering on Ulster, has the highest number of Irish language speakers among the four Irish provinces. Some 40 percent of the population are Irish speakers. [Central Statistics Office]

Sources

Central Statistics Office. "Percentage of Irish speakers and non-Irish speakers aged 3 Years and over 2011 to 2016 by sex, county and city, statistical indicator and census year" (2017).

Created: 3:26 PM 1/19/2022
Last updated: 3:26 PM 1/19/2022