Carraroe

Carraroe is a village in Co Galway. It is within the Gaeltacht area of Connemara and is famous for its traditional fishing boats known as Galway Hookers. Every August bank holiday, Carraroe hosts Féile an Dóilín, the largest Galway hooker festival in Ireland, and one of the largest maritime festivals in the country. Its population is widely dispersed over Carraroe peninsula between Greatman's Bay (Cuan an Fhir Mhóir) and Casla Bay (Cuan Chasla). Carraroe has an unusual 'coral' beach, Trá an Dóilín, a biogenic gravel beach actually made of coralline algae known as "maerl". Local amenities include a hotel and three pubs, the Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain Gaeltacht centre, several B&Bs, a supermarket, a number of other shops, a GAA and soccer club and a nine hole golf course. There is also a national school and a church. It is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway, which is 42km to its east.