Kilcolgan’s story
Kilcolgan: 1 building on the National Inventory
2 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1780House, Killeely More
KilcolganCo. Galway
Its population rose 14% from 2016 to 2022. Some 194 people live in this town, in Co. Galway.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Drow69 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
194
CSO, Census 2022 · Galway County Council
Median age
38.7
10% are 65+ · Co. Galway 12%
Degree level
47%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
9%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Kilcolgan a good place to live?
At a median €468,500, a home costs 6.4 times the town’s median household income. 9% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. 46% of households own their home with no mortgage. Only one in ten residents are 65 or over.
Irish towns are graded from 1,000 residents, which leaves Kilcolgan out for now.
What makes Kilcolgan stand out
The 3 things Kilcolgan does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% walk, cycle or ride
Against 23% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Own outright
Housing
46% own outright
Against 32% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
Only 10% are 65 or over
Against 14% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kilcolgan.
Natural hazards
Radon is the hazard to test for in Kilcolgan: an estimated 13% of homes are above the reference level
The nearest bathing water to Kilcolgan is Traught, Kinvara, 9.1 km away, rated excellent in 2025. 100% of its homes sit in high-radon areas, close to Co. Galway’s towns (100%) and above Irish towns (0%). No part of Kilcolgan is mapped as high landslide susceptibility.
100%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas100%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 4.3% | 0.5% |
13%
of homes over the radon level
9.1 km
to Traught, Kinvara bathing water (excellent)
33
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Kilcolgan gets 1,194 mm of rain a year (Co. Galway towns 1,261 mm, Irish towns 937 mm)
July afternoons reach 19.4°C here, about level with Co. Galway’s towns (19.3°C) and below Irish towns (19.9°C). The nearest weather station is Athenry, 10 km away. December is the wettest month in Kilcolgan, with 132 mm of rain on average.
19.4°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.0°C
Spring13.4°C
Summer18.9°C
Autumn14.2°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 19.4°C | 19.3°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,194 mm | 1,261 mm | 937 mm |
19.4°C
July high
2.9°C
January low
1,194 mm
Rain a year
132 mm
Wettest month
41
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Kilcolgan has fewer unpaid carers than Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 3.6% of residents
A disability affects just over a fifth of people in Kilcolgan. For its ages, Kilcolgan has 97 people in bad health for every 100 expected, lower than both Co. Galway’s towns (110) and Irish towns (113). 34% of people in the HSE West and North West health region hold a medical card.
88%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 88%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 3.6% | 5% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 21% | 22% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.6% | 1.9% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 88% | 88% | 88% |
97
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Galway 110
104
disability per 100 expected · Co. Galway 106
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
More households own their home in Kilcolgan than in Co. Galway’s towns or across Irish towns: 69%
29% of households rent privately.
€469Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Kilcolgan€469K
Co. Galway€373K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €467,000 | 37 |
| Housing | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 0% | 10% | 13% |
| Households owning their home | 69% | 52% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €469K | €373K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 29% | 36% | 22% |
69%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
29%
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
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Kilcolgan than Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 4.9% of the land within 1 km
Walkers have 0.2 km per km² of paths and tracks, below Co. Galway’s towns (2.1 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²) alike. Protected nature near Kilcolgan includes Galway Bay Complex SAC. Within 5 km, one waymarked trail or greenway sets out.
0%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Kilcolgan0.0 ha
Co. Galway5.5 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 0% | 80% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 14% | 14% | 1.8% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 4.9% | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.2 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
1 km
Footpaths
14%
Protected for nature
4.9%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Kilcolgan’s outlook today: light showers, peaking at 11 degrees
The next 6 days bring little rain: 5 of them stay dry. Any rain today should be slight, though the wind picks up to 21 km/h; the low is 7°C. In December, the normal shifts to highs of 9°C and lows of 3°C.
11°C / 7°CToday
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 | 3°C | 348 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 232 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 276 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 338 mm |
11°C / 7°C
Today
0.3 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
15 km/h
Wind
95%
Humidity
9 h 15 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Kilcolgan than in Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 8.7%
Average household income comes to €73,060 a year before tax. The car took nearly four in five commuters, above Co. Galway’s towns (60%) and Irish towns (66%) alike. The census found 74% of 15- to 64-year-olds in work.
9%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van79%
Walk5%
Bus3%
| Census 2022 | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €73,060 | €54,305 | €57,760 |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 74% | 68% | 68% |
| Average trip | 23.4 min | 23.8 min | 27.6 min |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 36% | 37% | 31% |
€73,060
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Galway €59,641
3%
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
A town of families: 23% of people in Kilcolgan are under 15, more than in Co. Galway’s towns and across Irish towns
People 65 and over make up 10% of the town, below both Co. Galway’s towns (12%) and Irish towns (14%). Graduates make up 47% of adults. The 15-to-24 age group makes up just over one in ten residents.
38.7median age
KilcolganCo. GalwayIreland
Ages · share of residents
12%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none4%
Lower secondary15%
Leaving Cert28%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher47%
Women and men · all residents
53.6% of Kilcolgan’s residents are women
104 women and 90 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 23% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 14% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 31% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 22% | 24% |
| 65+ | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 4% | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 15% | 10% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.4% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 47% | 47% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Galway and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in Kilcolgan vote than in Co. Galway’s towns or Irish towns: 52% turnout at the local elections
At the general election 62% voted, above Co. Galway’s towns (58%) and Irish towns (59%) alike. Local government for Kilcolgan is Galway County Council alone; Ireland has a single tier. No party holds a majority on Galway County Council: Fine Gael lead with 13 of 39 seats, short of the 20 needed.
13/39seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Galway County · June 2024
Fine Gael13
Fianna Fáil11
Independent7
Independent Ireland6
Sinn Féin2
| Turnout | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 52% | 45% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 62% | 58% | 59% |
5
Councillors
13/39
Fine Gael seats on Galway County, the largest party
52%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Galway East
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
52 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents put Kilcolgan above Co. Galway’s towns and Irish towns for heritage
6.2% of its homes were built before 1919, higher than both Co. Galway’s towns (1.7%) and Irish towns (3.4%). The archaeological record lists 2 sites here. Kilcolgan’s built heritage counts one inventory entry, of regional standing.
1inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional1
Among them
- House, Killeely More 1780
2
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1780
earliest dated inventory building
6%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 52 | 33 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 6.2% | 1.7% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 2 | 19 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Schools
Pupil numbers around Kilcolgan moved −6% since 2019, below Co. Galway’s towns and Irish towns
2 schools lie within 3 km of Kilcolgan: 2 primary schools.
2schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil MhuireLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 256 | Catholic |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic1
Multi-denominational1
| Schools within 3 km | Kilcolgan | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 15% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 27% | 35% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −6% | +2% | +4% |
451
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−6%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
1.8 km
to the nearest primary school
7.6 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Drumacoo Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site and 12 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Kilcolgan; with it, the best known within 40 km.
Abbey or prioryAbbey or prioryDrumacoo Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site2.5 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleDunguaire Castle8.5 km southwest
MuseumGalway City Museum14 km northwest · 162K visitors a year (2011)
CathedralGalway Cathedral14 km northwest
National parkBurren National Park24 km south
CastleAthenry Castle13 km northeast
CastleDunguaire Castle8.5 km southwestMuseumGalway City Museum14 km northwest · 162K visitors a year (2011)CathedralGalway Cathedral14 km northwestNational parkBurren National Park24 km southCastleAthenry Castle13 km northeastPlaces: 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)
- Dunguaire Castle: Boomur, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Galway City Museum: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Galway Cathedral: Mohd Fazlin Mohd Effendy Ooi, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Burren National Park: The Banner, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Athenry Castle: Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kilcolgan
15pages on Kilcolgan
Famous people from around Kilcolgan
No notable person born in Kilcolgan is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
G
Gerry HealyIrish Trotskyist (1913-1989) · born in Ballybane
P
Pat O'SheaIrish writer (1931-2007) · born in Eyre Square
F
Fergal HealyIrish hurler · born in Craughwell · born 1977A
Aislinn ConnollyCamogie player · born in Eyre SquarePhoto credits
Hildegarde Naughton: House of the Oireachtas, CC BY 4.0 · Gearóid McInerney: Seaninryan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kilcolgan’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
OranmoreCraughwellMurroughBallybaneMervueEyre SquareKilcolgan
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilcolgan | 194 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oranmore | 5,819 | 7.2 | A− | C | B+ | A |
| Craughwell | 1,034 | 9.5 | — | C− | A+ | A |
| Murrough | 2,909 | 11 | C+ | C+ | C− | B+ |
| Ballybane | 15,082 | 11 | C+ | B | C+ | C+ |
| Mervue | 4,126 | 13 | C | C+ | C− | C− |
| Eyre Square | 6,801 | 13 | C | D | C− | B+ |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Kilcolgan
Is Kilcolgan growing?
Kilcolgan had 194 people at the 2022 census, up from 170 in 2016: 14.1% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Kilcolgan?
The median age in Kilcolgan is 38.7, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
How do people in Kilcolgan get to work?
11% mostly work from home, and 36% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Kilcolgan
Urban area in Co. Galway
Kilcolgan has 194 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
- 194 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Galway
- Council
- Galway County Council
- Local electoral area
- Gort-Kinvara
- Dáil constituency
- Galway East
- Name in Irish
- Cill Cholgáin
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:27282
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).