-
-
Author: Mairtin O'Cathain
~ 2 minutes read
Holiday homes now clearly exceed the number of dwellings occupied by local people in a swathe of Connemara from Roundstone to Clifden.
Newly-published statistics from the 2022 Census show that homes owned by visitors – and lived in on an occasional basis – account for more than 60% of the dwellings along the picturesque countryside of Roundstone and Ballyconneely.
The demand for holiday homes in that area continues unabated, according to sources in the property industry and local people are effectively locked out of the market because the incoming buyers can pay much higher prices.
Local councillors Eileen Mannion and Gerry King said the balance was now clearly tilting in the wrong direction with the prevalence of holiday homes in West Connemara.
Former Gaeltacht and Rural Affairs Minister, Éamon Ó Cuív, said that action was needed to generate employment in those areas to counter the pressures on the local population.
“The best bulwark against holiday homes is a strong local economy,” Deputy Ó Cuív said.
Roundstone is a haven for those who seek holiday homes. There are 239 such homes in the area out of 422 dwellings. More than half of the dwellings in “Ireland’s most picturesque village” – as it was dubbed last year – and in its hinterland are unoccupied at this time of the year.
While the preponderance of holiday homes may not have a direct correlation with the drop in the young population, there is a remarkable decrease in the primary school numbers in Roundstone, indicating an outward movement of people.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune:
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
More like this:
Don Stiffe, Ger O’Donnell and Trevor Sexton light up Concert Series at former Loughrea convent
Review by Anne Marie Kennedy Up on a modest hill on the west side of Loughrea, the Carmelite C...
Dalystown Demense set for major reconstruction after years of falling into disrepair
Permission has been granted for the reconstruction of a well-known house near Loughrea that was b...
Community groups praised for heritage project on keeping Gort’s old name alive
A number of community groups from Gort have won national praise after coming together for a proje...
City event to honour Irish who died on UN missions and past conflicts
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMA ceremony is being held this weekend to honour the I...
Planned power outages in Ballygar tomorrow due to upgrades
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMPeople in Ballygar may experience power outages tomor...
Celebrating a pioneering vet who blazed her own trail
The life and legacy of the first female veterinary surgeon in Ireland and the UK were honoured ag...
Galway competitors take part in Ireland’s first ever Fitness Inclusion Games
Gym-goers from across Galway joined over 100 people with disabilities to compete at Ireland’s fir...
Galway Travellers turn spotlight on Ireland’s ‘hidden housing crisis’
Members of Galway’s Traveller community joined compatriots from across the country in Dublin last...
Clifden RNLI involved in two rescues on Killary Bay
This article first appeared on Galway Bay FMClifden RNLI have been involved in two rescues in the...