Spiddal

The name of the village in Irish, {{lang|ga|An Spidéal}}, derives from the word {{lang|ga|ospidéal}}, which in turn derived from the Insular French, or Anglo-Normand, word {{lang|fr|ospitel}}.{{cite web|url = https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ospid%C3%A9al| publisher = Wiktionary | title = oispidéal | accessdate = 31 March 2024 }}

The name originates from a mediaeval leper hospital situated in {{lang|ga|An Spidéal Thiar}} (West Spiddal). A number of other hospital facilities were based in the area over the years, including a famine hospital during the Great Famine of the mid-1840s. While "Spiddle" is recorded in the Placenames Database of Ireland as the English variant of the name, "Spiddal" is used locally.{{cite web|url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/18722 | publisher = Placenames Database of Ireland | website = logainm.ie | title = An Spidéal | accessdate = 31 March 2024 | quote = town [..] An Spidéal [..] Spiddle (English) [..] Other names: Spiddal local name (English) }}

Spiddal, like much of the west of Ireland, suffered greatly during the Great Famine of the 1840s, with many people being evicted, and many starving. Appeals were made by the parish priest John O'Grady and by A.W. Blake and, as a result, the Board of Works employed some men in improvements to the village harbour.{{cite web|url = https://www.oughterardheritage.org/content/topics/murt-molloy-killannin-and-oughterard-local-history/the-famine-barony-of-moycullen-co-galway-1845-1850-2 | title = Spiddal | website = www.oughterardheritage.org}}

From 1848, the evangelical Protestant Irish Church Missions were active, establishing the Connemara Orphan's Nursery (Spiddal Orphanage or {{lang|ga|Nead Le Farraige}}) in the early 1850s,{{cite web|url = http://clifdenheritage.org/the-protestant-missions-in-connemara-miriam-moffitt/ | title = The Protestant Missions in Connemara, Miriam Moffitt | website = www.connemaraheritage.org | date = 28 January 2012}}{{cite web|url = https://www.advertiser.ie/Galway/article/4528/an-unseemly-brawl-over-god-and-scripture | title = An unseemly brawl of god and scripture | work = Galway Advertiser | date = 13 November 2008}} the home could accommodate up to 90 boys and girls, and became affiliated with the Protestant-run Smyly Homes (and was even referred to as The Bird's Nest, the name of the home in Dublin).{{cite web|url = http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/SpiddalSmyly/ | title = Spiddal Orphan Home | website = childrenshomes.org.uk}} Following its closure as an orphanage, it became a secondary school for girls run by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy.

The local Catholic church, {{lang|ga|Cill Éinde}} (church of Saint Enda), was built in 1904.{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30327010/cill-einde-spiddle-west-an-spideal-spiddle-co-galway | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage | website = buildingsofireland.ie | title = Cill Éinde, Spiddle West, An Spidéal [Spiddle], Galway | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }} The ruin of an older chapel, dating to 1776, is nearby.{{cite web|url = https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/30327012/spiddle-west-an-spideal-spiddle-co-galway | publisher = National Inventory of Architectural Heritage | website = buildingsofireland.ie | title = Spiddle West, An Spidéal [Spiddle], Galway | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}

File:An Spidéal (County Galway) - Thatched house in centre.jpg in front of the main church]]

There are a number of pubs, shops and other services in the village. Spiddal's Garda (police) station is on Mountain Road.{{cite web|url = https://vha.ie/project/spiddal-garda-station/ | website = vha.ie | publisher = Vincent Hannon Architects | title = Spiddal Garda Station | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/planning-permission-sought-for-new-garda-station-in-spiddal/ | work = Galway Daily | title = Planning permission sought for new Garda station in Spiddal | date = 28 May 2021 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }} {{lang|ga|An Cheardlann}} ("the workshop" in Irish) is a craft centre east of the village where craft works are made and sold.

There is a primary school ({{lang|ga|Scoil Náisiúnta Éinne}}) and secondary school ({{lang|ga|Coláiste Chroí Mhuire}}).

The area is served by Bus Éireann route 424 from Galway City.{{cite web|url = https://www.transportforireland.ie/news/bus-eireann-announces-improved-services-and-timetables-on-route-424-galway-to-leitir-meallain-via-an-cheathru-rua/ | website = transportforireland.ie | title = Bus Éireann announces improved services and timetables on Route 424, Galway to Leitir Mealláin via An Cheathrú Rua | date = 7 December 2023 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }} The Boluisce River flows south from Boluisce Lake and enters Galway Bay at Spiddal.{{cite web|url = http://www.logainm.ie/116481.aspx | title = Owenboliskey River | publisher = Placenames Database of Ireland | website = logainm.ie | accessdate = 20 November 2011 }}

Each summer, groups of Irish teenagers visit Spiddal for three-week Irish language courses. {{lang|ga|Coláiste Chonnacht}} and {{lang|ga|Coláiste Lurgan}} are two Irish language summer schools. American students visit for the autumn term each year to study Irish-language literature and culture.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

Live traditional Irish music is regularly performed in the village's pubs.{{fact|date=April 2024}} The music group The Waterboys recorded part of their Fisherman's Blues album in Spiddal.{{cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/day-1988-waterboys-release-fishermans-blues-22791967 | work = Hot Press | title = On this day in 1988: The Waterboys release Fisherman's Blues | date = 17 October 2019 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }} They also recorded a song called Spring Comes to Spiddal on their album Room to Roam. The television series {{lang|ga|Ros na Rún}} is filmed there, and broadcast on TG4.{{cite web|url = https://xn--anspidal-g1a.ie/an-spideal/an-spideal-stair-agus-pobal/ | website = anspidéal.ie | title = An Spidéal: Stair agus Pobal | language = ga | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230605210720/https://xn--anspidal-g1a.ie/an-spideal/an-spideal-stair-agus-pobal/ | archivedate = 5 June 2023 | url-status = live }}

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is {{lang|ga|Cumann Lúthchleas Gael An Spidéal}}, with Gaelic football and hurling being the most popular sports. There is also a sailing club in the village.

{{See also|Category:People from Spiddal}}

• Mary Bergin, musician
• Ronan Browne, musician
• Thom McGinty, actor and stillness artist
• Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, journalist and the sixth president of the International Olympic Committee, had family connections to the area.{{cite magazine |url = https://www.historyireland.com/lord-killaninthe-renaissance-man-of-the-olympic-movement/ | magazine = History Ireland | title = Lord Killanin:the Renaissance man of the Olympic movement | issue = 4 | date = July 2012 | volume = 20 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}
• Máirtín Ó Cadhain, writer of modern literature in Irish, and author of the comic and modernist work Cré na Cille.{{cite web|url = https://www.dib.ie/biography/o-cadhain-mairtin-a6285| publisher = Royal Irish Academy | work = Dictionary of Irish Biography | title = Ó Cadhain, Máirtín | date = October 2009 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 | doi = 10.3318/dib.006285.v1 }}
• Dónall Ó Héalai, actor{{fact|date=April 2024}}
• Seán Ó Neachtain, former Member of the European Parliament and Fianna Fáil party politician{{fact|date=April 2024}}
• Eimear Ní Chonaola, journalist and broadcast news presenter{{fact|date=April 2024}}
• Máire Ní Thuathail (1957–2016), television producer.{{cite news |title=Death of TV producer and Tourmakeady native |url=https://www.mayonews.ie/news/28621-death-of-tv-producer-and-tourmakeady-native |work=mayonews.ie | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160928161440/https://www.mayonews.ie/news/28621-death-of-tv-producer-and-tourmakeady-native | archivedate = 28 September 2016 | date = 27 September 2016 }}
• Gráinne Seoige, television presenter{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40994168.html | title = Culture That Made Me: Gráinne Seoige on dance music and Minority Report | work = Irish Examiner | date = 31 October 2022 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}
• Síle Seoige, television presenter{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/people/arid-40829255.html | title = Síle Seoige: I love the fact that I am nearly 43 | work = Irish Examiner | date = 2 April 2022 | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}
• Máirtín Thornton (died 1984), heavyweight boxer in the 1940s{{cite web|url = http://irishboxers.ie/martin_thornton_snr.html | website = irishboxers.ie | title = Boxer Profile - Martin Thornton (Snr) | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110731231448/http://irishboxers.ie/martin_thornton_snr.html | archivedate = 31 July 2011 }}

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Spiddal}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• [https://anspideal.ie/ Website of Comhlacht Forbartha an Spidéil]
• [https://www.libraryireland.com/topog/S/Spiddle-Moycullen-Galway.php "Spiddle"] in A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837) by Samuel Lewis

{{Gaeltacht}}

{{County Galway}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora}}

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Category:Towns and villages in Connemara

Category:Gaeltacht places in County Galway

Category:Beaches of County Galway

Category:Gaeltacht towns and villages