Galway
[key], county, 2,293 sq mi (5,939 sq km), W Republic of Ireland. The
county town is Galway. The
county is divided into two sections by Lough Corrib. The mountains of the
Connemara region
lie to the west; to the east stretches a rolling plain, partially covered
with bogs. Principal rivers are the Clare, the Clarinbridge, the Dunkelin,
and the Shannon (which forms part of the eastern boundary) and its
tributary, the Suck. The shoreline is extremely irregular, and there are
numerous islands, the chief of which are the Aran Islands, lying off the mouth of
Galway Bay. The main industries are agriculture (sheep, cattle, oats, and
potatoes) and fishing (salmon). Marble is quarried, and some light
manufacturing has developed.
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