Roundstone, County Galway Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Roundstone Cloch na Rón
Village
View of harbour towards Roundstone village
Roundstone Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	County Galway
Elevation	20 m (70 ft)
Population (2016)	214
Irish Grid Reference	L725405

Roundstone (Irish: Cloch na Rón, meaning seal's rock) is a village on the west coast of Ireland, in the Connemara region of County Galway. Lying opposite the island of Inishnee on Roundstone Bay, by road it is 76.3 kilometres (47.4 mi) northwest of Galway and 18 kilometres (11 mi) southeast of Clifden. Known as a haven for people in the creative arts, it hosts an annual regatta in July.

Transport
Culture
Twin village
Archaeological discovery
Drowning Tragedy During War of Independence
Cinema
Gallery
See also

Transport

The village is connected to the rest of the national road network via a regional road, the R341, which connects it to the N59.

Culture

Roundstone is known as a home for creativity and the arts. For many years some of the most important figures in Irish Art have painted there, including Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Gerard Dillon and Nano Reid. The Roundstone Arts Week celebrates youth and environment on an annual basis. The local Summerfest, is held in July. Traditional Irish Nights are held weekly throughout July and August and offers music, song and dance from the Connemara area.

Twin village

Roundstone is twinned with the village of Noyelles-sous-Lens (a suburb of Lens, Pas-de-Calais) in France.

Archaeological discovery

In 1998 Sean Gorham of Inishnee, Roundstone, County Galway, was engaged in turf-cutting in Roundstone Bog "when he noticed what appeared to be a series of flat stones laid at regular intervals ... Believing them to be the remains of an ancient trackway, Mr. Gorham left the stones undisturbed, and through the good offices of Martin O'Malley, Roundstone, and Michael Gibbons, Clifden, his discovery was brought to the attention of the National Museum of Ireland."

Gorham's find was located in the townland of Derrycunlagh. Investigation revealed that earlier turf-cutters had removed part of the trackway but its two extant stretches determine its route. The trackway appeared to date from the early Bronze Age, while the field wall may have been of an earlier date.

In an article of 2002, it was stated that "Thanks are due to the late Sean Gorham, whose keen eye and interest save the trackway from destruction and brought it to scientific attention."

Drowning Tragedy During War of Independence

On February 6th, 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, 4 Volunteers of the Old IRA were making their way by boat from Carna to Roundstone for a Battalion meeting, when they were caught by a violent storm and drowned on the shore of Inishlaken Island.