Connemara, Ireland, Beauty in the Wild

Situated in the West of Ireland, the Connemara region is a large peninsula bounded by the Atlantic Ocean at the North, West and South. Connemara is a region that is highly popular with tourists coming from within the country as well as foreigners, probably because there are so many things to see and do in this beautiful area.

Although it is one of the most popular regions of Ireland for tourism and even has a seaside resort (Salthill with its large beach, hotels and casinos), the weather in Connemara could disappoint many visitors; usually very mild and humid with temperatures ranging from 4 to 12 degrees Celsius in the winter and 16 to 25 degrees Celsius in the summer. Because of the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, it is usually rather wet and windy in Connemara, especially in winter when storms happen frequently.

Connemara is one of Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, where the Gaelic language is widely spoken by the locals, young or old, particularly in the countryside.

Connemara's main city is Galway, sometimes referred to as the City of the Tribes and one of the fastest growing towns of Ireland. Connemara also has a few smaller towns and villages, such as Clifden, Carna, Carraroe, Roundstone and Letterfrack. Galway city has its own museum and in July of each year, the Galway Arts Festival attracts many tourists.

Connemara is a region where water plays a big part with its large coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and its many lakes and rivers. The region is being almost constantly battered by westerly winds, as one can witness when noticing all the bent trees from areas most often hit by the strong winds. Connemara's countryside is mildly mountainous with the Twelve Bens, a chain of twelve low mountains separating the North and South of Connemara peaking at 730 metres high.