Letterard () is a

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

located in the parish of Moyrus or Carna, Connemara on the West Coast of the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. ...

. It is located in County Galway. To the west of Letterard is Bertrabhoy Bay. Across the bay from Letterard is Roundstone. The word Letterard itself means high area which is noteworthy as the townland is located on an elevated area on the peninsula. Bordering the Bay area is a cliff on called ''Áill Dá Bhinn''. This translates to the cliff with the two peaks. During the feudal ages a

demesne A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land subinfeudation, sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. ...

lodge was located in Letterard. This belonged to a tenant in demesne who came under the landlord located in Knockboy House just outside Carna village. The ruins of the lodge are still to be found in the Eastern half of Letterard.

Population

Letterard has an overall population of 103. It is also located in the

Connemara Connemara ( ; ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...

Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...

. Before the Great Famine struck Ireland the population of Letterard was around 800 people and it dramatically dropped to just over 100 by the end of the famine. Peninsula located to the South West of Letterard * Crumpán: A small hilly area to the South East * Béal Carra: A small peninsula to the West of Letterard, with a pier

Drowning during War of Independence

On 6 February 1921, during the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence (), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and Unite ...

, four volunteers of the Old IRA were making their way by boat from Letterard, Carna to Roundstone for a Battalion meeting, when they were caught by a violent storm and drowned of the shore of Inishlaken Island. A memorial stone has been placed near the mole of Letterad's Moyrus beach.

Famous residents

* Johnny Mháirtín Learaí MacDonnacha: Famous sean-nós singer, known in Scotland. * Senator Margaret Craven: born in Letterard and moved to America when she was still a teenager. She was elected a senator in Maine in 2009. She returned to Letterard in 2010 to her nearest relation Eileen Connelly, the wife of Margaret's brother Josie who died in the boating tragedy off the Carna coast. Connacht Tribune
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References

{{coord, 53.3286, N, 9.8419, W, source:wikidata, display=title Townlands of County Galway