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(Redirected from Carna, Galway)
'Cárna' is a small area in Connemara, County Galway, Republic of Ireland, located on the west coast of Ireland about 50km west of of Galway city.
The National University of Ireland, Galway has an Irish language and educational centre in Carna (''Arás Shorcha Uí Ghuairim''). It also operates a marine biology station in Maínis and an atmospheric research station in Mace Head, Carna, which is run by the university's physics department.
Since Carna is in Connemara, it is an area that Catholics emigrated to during the Cromwell days, when the statement, "Go to hell or Connaught" was familiar to all Catholics.
The village is in the Gaeltacht, so most of the people speak Irish at home. The population is totally bilingual with English being the second language spoken.
Off the coast of Mace Head in Carna Parish is Mac Dara's Island/Oileán Mhic Dara. This is the location of a stone, early Christian church and cross of Saint Mac Dara, who is the Patron Saint of fishermen and sailors in the area.
There is a pilgramage to the Island once a year on July 16th followed by a race of traditional boats.
Another archeological gem in the area is a standing stone on Lake Scannive/Loch na Scainimhe, which can still be seen.
NUI Galway has a educational centre in Carna.

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Famous Residents

Famous Residents

★ Éamon a Búrc, considered Ireland's most brilliant storyteller in the Irish language, was an almost lifelong resident of Cárna. The thousands of pages of his transcribed tales remain in the possession of the Irish Folklore Commission.