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Northeast County Galway is served chiefly by the small market town of TUAM (pronounced choom , from the Gaelic Tuaim meaning "grave mound"). There's little here to detain you, but should you wish to sniff out the scant remnants of the town's former importance, have a look inside the Church of Ireland cathedral on Galway Road. It's primarily a nineteenth-century building, but survivals from the twelfth-century chancel include a magnificent Romanesque arch, showing strong signs of Scandinavian influence, and the accompanying east window. The shaft of an ornamented high cross is set in the wall near the west door. It's a great shame that so little remains of medieval Tuam; a monastery was founded here in the sixth century by St Iarlath, a disciple of St Enda of Inishmore, and in the medieval period Tuam became not only an archiepiscopal seat but also the power centre of the O'Conors of Connacht. The high cross in the town square dates from the twelfth century: it's highly decorated but actually a bit of a patchwork, as the head and the shaft don't really belong together. The tourist office is in the Mill Museum (July-Aug Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; tel 093/25486) and can book accommodation. B&Bs include: Gabrielle Hurst , Dublin Rd (tel 093/25934, thp@iol.ie ; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79), or Mrs O'Connor's pleasant Kilmore House , Galway Rd, Kilmore (tel 093/28118; GBP33-40/?41.90-50.79), half a mile out of town. For eating the place to go is Cre na Cille on High St (tel 093 28232), which serves high-quality food at low prices, though it is very popular locally and it's advisable to book ahead.
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