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Images of Connemara |
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(click images to enlarge) |
| Northwest of Galway City, Connemara is an inhospitable land of mountains and heaths, far from the East Coast, which has remained mostly protected from English influence |  |
Connemara region is twofold : a jagged coast with deep fjords bordered with green mountains, a windy countryside with an unproductive soil made of austere rocky hills, russet-colored windswept heaths with many small lakes |
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Connemara is a mythic place of a great natural beauty, which regularly attracts movie makers, writers, painters... and singers. It is a wild countryside with an unproductive soil and a rough and windy climate, made of burnt moors, desolate mountains, torrents, lakes, that has mostly been preserved from English occupation. That is why it is the greatest "Gaeltacht" area (region where Gaelic speaking is still in use) of Ireland, where the way of life has remained traditional. |
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Russet-coloured windswept heaths of Connemara |
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The heart of Connemara is formed by the "Twelve Bens" or "Twelve Pins", mountains made of resistant quartzite drained by torrents which generate multiple lakes. |
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Connemara, region of the "Twelve Bens" (peaks) |
Connemara landscape |
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Many torrents stream from mountains to form multiple lakes |
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Torrent running from mounts |
Shimmering lake |
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Ponys of Connemara come from crossbreeding of native ponys with horses arrived with multiple invasions of Ireland. Every year Clifden welcomes the famous Connemara Pony Show. |
Yet, there are a few green areas in Connemara, with cattle breeding |
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Irish pony |
Sheeps in Connemara |
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Rough climate, unproductive land explain why most Connemara inhabitants have chosen to live on the coasts |
Leename, small village situated at the bottom of a deep fjord |
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Fjord at Leename, north-east of Connemara |
Houses in Leename |
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Farmhouse on a hill |
Southern coast of Connemara, near Galway, is a smiling region, mixing traditional habitat with modern seaside resorts |
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Farm in Connemara |
Southern coast of Connemara |
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Lough Corrib is the 2nd biggest lake of Ireland, 58 km long, it counts 365 islands , one for each day of the year |
Islands range from simple clod to Inchagoill island which owns the oldest Christian monument (5th century monastery) |
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Swan on Lough Corrib |
Island in Lough Corrib |
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Beautiful natural scenery along River Corrib |
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Cows on River Corrib |
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| Copyright © WEB-SY - August 2004 | Editing and photographs : Marc GERONDEAU |
Email : mgerondeau@web-sy.fr |
