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East Galway cannot rival the spectacular landscapes of west Galway or County Clare, nor their romantic isolation. Nonetheless, to hurry through east Galway without seeing what the place does have to offer would be a mistake. A lot of the land here is low lying and easily cultivable, attributes which made it attractive to earlier settlers. They've left not only a network of roads and villages, but also a wealth of historic remains, particularly medieval monastic sites. The east of the county has nothing like the strong culture of the west, but towards the south, the musical traditions of County Clare wash over the county boundaries and form an important part of the region's culture. And while the landscape is never exciting, some of it is very pleasant, notably the lakesides of Lough Derg at Portumna and the delightful southern shore of Galway Bay , which becomes particularly special where the heights of the Burren of County Clare become a part of the scene. Added to this is the historical importance of eastern Galway from the walled town of Athenry to the village of Aughrim , scene of the bloodiest battle in Irish history. In contrast to Connemara, transport in east Galway is easy. Galway to Dublin trains call at Athenry and Ballinasloe (for train information phone Athenry tel 091/544020 or Ballinasloe tel 0905/42105). While Bus Eireann (tel 091/562000) serves the surrounding area well, private buses offer a faster and cheaper service: Bus Nestor's (tel 091/797144) Dublin to Galway service will stop in Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Aughrim on request, as will Citylink (tel 091/564163) who will also stop at Athlone and offers a daily evening service direct from Dublin to Tuam. There is plenty of accommodation throughout the area, in the form of B&Bs and independent and An Oige hostels.
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