County Galway is located on the west coast of Ireland and is the second largest county in Ireland. Galway County has a strong local economy and offers a wide range of business sectors, including the manufacturing industry, tourism, retail and distribution, education, healthcare, and services that include financial, construction, cultural, and professional. The biomedicine sector in particular is very strong in Galway with most of the largest biomedicine companies in Ireland located there.

 

The Galway Gaeltacht covers extensive parts of County Galway mainly in the west of the County, and is the single largest and most populous Gaeltacht area in the country. 

 

Údarás na Gaeltachta have selectively targeted certain areas of industry, in particular those which produce sophisticated and high value added products and services. These offer the best growth potential and the best prospects of generating long term sustainable employment. Economic activities in the Galway Gaeltacht  include information and communications technology, engineering, chemicals and pharmaceuticals/biopharmaceuticals, audio-visual activities and telecommunications, electronics, software, marine based natural resources, textiles, medical devices, internationally traded services, including financial services, call centres and shared services centres.

 

Galway is well served by international airports and has an extensive road and rail network to and from Galway from other major centres.

 

Three national primary roads serve Galway City: 

Dublin                                136m/216km

Limerick                             65m/105km

Shannon                            54m/87km

Cork                                  128m/205km

 

Aer Arann provide daily flights from Galway Airport to Dublin and other destinations in Europe. Further information: www.aerarann.ie

Ireland West Airport Knock is located near CharlestownCounty Mayo, and provide flights to Europe and America. Further information: www.knockairport.com

Shannon Airport mostly handles transatlantic flights and flights to Europe and Britain. Further information: www.shannonairport.com 

Rail services

Iarnród Éireann runs regular return passenger services each day between Dublin, Galway and intermediate stations. Further information: www.irishrail.ie

Bus travel to Galway from all major towns and airports is serviced by many private operators and the national bus company. Further information visit www.buseireann.ie

 

University College Hospital

Merlin Park Regional Hospital

Bon Secours Hospital

Galway Clinic

Education in the Gaeltacht

Pre-Schools                22

Primary Schools          43

Secondary Schools     9

 

National University of Ireland, Galway     www.nuigalway.ie

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology     www.gmit.ie

University of Limerick                               www.ul.ie

 

FÁS Employment Services Offices provide career advice and guidance including information on job and training opportunities as well as temporary employment options.

County Galway offers everything you could ask for in terms of recreation and amenities. A natural playground for golf, equestrian, walking, angling, fishing, water sports, arts and crafts and cycling enthusiasts. 

Further information:

Advanced telecommunications services are critical for the attraction of direct investment, for the development of indigenous industry and the promotion of the knowledge economy.

 

The Gaeltacht regions are fully integrated into Eircom’s National Fibre Network with access to all high speed and advanced services. Broadband availability is comparable with all other rural regions in Ireland and the EU with at least 62 per cent of lines being DSL enabled. In addition wireless based broadband services are available in many regions offering competitive options to companies and the community.