An Cheathrú Rua’s story
An Cheathrú Rua has 2 buildings on the National Inventory
Homes built before 1919: 2%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1915Séipéal Mhic Dara [Saint Mac Dara's Catholic Church]
- 1950Scoil Náisiúnta Mhic Dara
An Cheathrú RuaCo. Galway
Some 725 people live in this town, in Co. Galway.
Photo: Carraroe1 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
725
CSO, Census 2022 · Galway County Council
Median age
42.2
21% are 65+ · Co. Galway 12%
Degree level
33%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
12%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is An Cheathrú Rua a good place to live?
Buying the median home, at €372,600, takes 8.1 times the town’s median household income. Outside school, 54% of residents speak Irish every day. The 2022 census put unemployment at 25%. 12% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, An Cheathrú Rua falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.
What makes An Cheathrú Rua stand out
The 3 things An Cheathrú Rua does most differently from other towns.
Speak Irish daily, outside school
Who lives here
54% speak Irish daily
The median of Irish towns: 1%
CSO, Census 2022
Unemployment rate, Census 2022
Work
25% unemployment
Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)
41% of residents 15 and over are at work.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in An Cheathrú Rua.
Schools
Irish-medium schooling is strong around An Cheathrú Rua: 67% of schools, above Co. Galway’s towns and Irish towns
Pupil numbers changed +8% since 2019/20, above Co. Galway’s towns (+2%) and Irish towns (+4%) alike. Families in An Cheathrú Rua have 3 schools within 3 km to choose from: 1 primary school, 1 secondary school and 1 special school. Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin is the nearest secondary school, 0.8 km away.
3schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. Mhic Dara Gaeltacht schoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 202 | Catholic |
| Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin Gaeltacht schoolLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Comprehensive | Post-primary · Comprehensive | 440 | Inter-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic1
Inter-denominational1
Other1
| Schools within 3 km | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 67% | 15% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 67% | 27% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 31% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +8% | +2% | +4% |
661
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+8%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.9 km
to the nearest primary school
0.8 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland doesn’t publish results for individual schools, so none of these carries a letter.
Natural hazards
More homes in An Cheathrú Rua stand on ground prone to landslides than in Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 2.6%
Radon above the reference level: an estimated 1.8% of homes in An Cheathrú Rua. Trá an Dóilín, An Ceathrú Rua, 2 km from An Cheathrú Rua, is the closest bathing water; it was rated excellent in 2025. Next to none of its homes lie low beside a river or the sea.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility2.6%
| Share of homes | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 2.6% | 0% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 100% | 0% |
1.8%
of homes over the radon level
2 km
to Trá an Dóilín, An Ceathrú Rua bathing water (excellent)
388
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
An Cheathrú Rua has cooler summers than Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: July highs of 18.2°C
A January night in An Cheathrú Rua drops to 4.0°C on average, above Co. Galway’s towns (3.0°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C) alike. Day and night, summer and winter, An Cheathrú Rua averages 10.6°C. A year brings 1,321 mm of rain to An Cheathrú Rua.
18.2°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.3°C
Spring12.8°C
Summer17.9°C
Autumn14.0°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 18.2°C | 19.3°C | 19.9°C |
| January low | 4.0°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,321 mm | 1,261 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.6°C | 10.3°C | 10.3°C |
18.2°C
July high
4.0°C
January low
1,321 mm
Rain a year
150 mm
Wettest month
7
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Fewer people in An Cheathrú Rua say their health is good than in Co. Galway’s towns or across Irish towns: 83%
Unpaid caring falls to 7% of An Cheathrú Rua’s residents. 2.8% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, higher than both Co. Galway’s towns (1.9%) and Irish towns (2%). Disability touches 25% of the town’s population.
83%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 83%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 7% | 5% | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 83% | 88% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.8% | 1.9% | 2% |
| With a disability | 25% | 22% | 22% |
126
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Galway 110
84.5 · 79.7
life expectancy, women · men, the West region, 2016
34%
hold a medical card, HSE West and North West
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
Social housing is more common in An Cheathrú Rua than in Co. Galway’s towns or across Irish towns, at 21% of households
19% rent privately, lower than both Co. Galway’s towns (36%) and Irish towns (22%). Owners make up 57% of households.
€373Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
An Cheathrú Rua€373K
Co. Galway€373K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 21% | 10% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 19% | 36% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 57% | 52% | 61% |
57%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
19%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,637
a month on new tenancies, County Galway
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area H91, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
Protected nature surrounds An Cheathrú Rua: 41% of the land within 5 km, more than in both Co. Galway’s towns and Irish towns
The sea makes up 42% of the area within 5 km, above Co. Galway’s towns (21%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. Among the protected sites near An Cheathrú Rua is Kilkieran Bay. Also worth knowing: green space lies within 400 m of 100% of homes.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
An Cheathrú Rua2.8 ha
Co. Galway5.5 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected nature within 5 km | 41% | 14% | 1.8% |
| Sea within 5 km | 42% | 21% | 0% |
| Near a park | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.3 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
100%
Near a park
2.8 ha
Green space
4 km
Footpaths
41%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
An Cheathrú Rua’s outlook tomorrow: cloudy, peaking at 11 degrees
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Wednesday, around 7 mm. In a typical November, days climb to about 11°C and nights sink to 6°C, the yardstick for An Cheathrú Rua’s forecast. A settled, dry day lies ahead tomorrow: light wind up to 10 km/h, then a low of 6°C.
11°C / 6°CTomorrow
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 4°C | 389 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 252 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 12°C | 293 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 9°C | 386 mm |
11°C / 6°C
Tomorrow
None
Rain, next 24 hours
12 km/h
Wind
97%
Humidity
9 h 11 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Fewer of the 15 to 64s in An Cheathrú Rua work than in Co. Galway’s towns or across Irish towns: 55%
Household income came to €45,750 a year before tax, below Co. Galway’s towns (€54,305) and Irish towns (€57,760) alike. Unemployment runs at 25%. Three quarters of commuters drove to work at the census.
12%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van75%
Walk9%
Bus3%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In work, 15 to 64 | 55% | 68% | 68% |
| Unemployment rate | 25% | 9.6% | 9.2% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 48% | 37% | 31% |
| Median household income | €45,750 | €54,305 | €57,760 |
€45,750
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Galway €59,641
12%
worked mainly from home, 2022
13%
trips of an hour or more
11,344
on the Live Register, County Galway, September 2026
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Who lives here
Irish is an everyday language in An Cheathrú Rua: 54% speak it daily, above Co. Galway
Under-15s account for 18% of the population. People 65 and over make up 21% of the town, above both Co. Galway’s towns (12%) and Irish towns (14%). A third of adults hold a degree.
42.2median age
An Cheathrú RuaCo. GalwayIreland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none22%
Lower secondary10%
Leaving Cert28%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher33%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 53.5% of An Cheathrú Rua
388 women and 337 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 31% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 22% | 24% |
| 65+ | 21% | 12% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 22% | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 10% | 10% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.9% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 33% | 47% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Galway and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in An Cheathrú Rua vote than in Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 68% turnout at the local elections
There is just one council for An Cheathrú Rua, Galway County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. With 13 of 39 seats, Fine Gael are the largest group on Galway County Council, short of the 20 a majority needs. This Co. Galway town sits in the Conamara South local electoral area, which elects 5 councillors.
13/39seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Galway County · June 2024
Fine Gael13
Fianna Fáil11
Independent7
Independent Ireland6
Sinn Féin2
| Turnout | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 68% | 45% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 58% | 58% | 59% |
5
Councillors
13/39
Fine Gael seats on Galway County, the largest party
68%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Galway West
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
2 inventory buildings stand in An Cheathrú Rua, each of regional importance
Relative to its size, An Cheathrú Rua keeps 28 buildings on the inventory per 10,000 residents, below Co. Galway’s towns (33) and Irish towns (48) alike. Homes built before 1919 account for 2.4% of the housing.
2inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional2
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1915
earliest dated inventory building
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | An Cheathrú Rua | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 28 | 33 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 19 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Calafort Ros an Mhíl (Rossaveel Harbour) and 13 more within 40 km
2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of An Cheathrú Rua; with them, the best known within 40 km.
IslandIslandCalafort Ros an Mhíl (Rossaveel Harbour)1.9 km outside town, to the east
National park · National Parks and Wildlife ServiceConnemara National Park39 km northwest
Abbey or prioryKylemore Abbey38 km northwest
CastleAughnanure Castle28 km northeast
CathedralGalway Cathedral37 km east
MuseumGalway City Museum37 km east · 162K visitors a year (2011)
National park · National Parks and Wildlife ServiceConnemara National Park39 km northwestAbbey or prioryKylemore Abbey38 km northwestCastleAughnanure Castle28 km northeastCathedralGalway Cathedral37 km eastMuseumGalway City Museum37 km east · 162K visitors a year (2011)Places: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (5)
- Connemara National Park: Dr. Charles Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kylemore Abbey: Textman at Dutch Wikipedia ( Original text: Textman ), CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Aughnanure Castle: The original uploader was Miguev at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Galway Cathedral: Mohd Fazlin Mohd Effendy Ooi, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Galway City Museum: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about An Cheathrú Rua
15pages on An Cheathrú Rua
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 2 buildings in An Cheathrú Rua, each of regional importance.
Questions about An Cheathrú Rua
Has An Cheathrú Rua grown?
An Cheathrú Rua had 725 people at the 2022 census, up from 672 in 2016: 7.9% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is An Cheathrú Rua a young town or an old one?
The median age in An Cheathrú Rua is 42.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 18% of residents are under 15 and 21% are 65 or over.
About An Cheathrú Rua
Urban area in Co. Galway
An Cheathrú Rua has 725 people, in the area of Galway County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 725 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Galway
- Council
- Galway County Council
- Local electoral area
- Conamara South
- Dáil constituency
- Galway West
- Name in Irish
- An Cheathrú Rua
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:27301
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).