The population of Galway City has increased more than 5% to 79,504 over the past five years, according to new Census figures.
Areas like the St Nicholas’ Parish (which includes Newtownsmyth and Waterside out to Bohermore, Sandy Road, Terryland and parts of Newcastle) and parts of Westside and Rahoon experiencing the biggest growth.
Meanwhile, the Wellpark electoral division – the area bounded by the Tuam Road, Dublin Road and Michael Collins Road in Mervue – saw its population decline by just over 10%.
The figures from the Central Statistics Office show that Galway City’s population has risen by 5.3% from Census 2011 when it stood at 75,529.
A breakdown of that number shows that there are 41,297 females and 38,207 in the city.
While the biggest rate of population increase was in St Nicholas’ Parish, the largest jump in real terms was in Bearna (stretching from the Cappagh Road, across Drom to Glenlo Abbey and west of Bearna Golf Club to the Corcullen Road) – up 815 from 14,384 to 15,199 (5.7%).
The Ballybane electoral division (from the Ballybane Road stretching east through Merlin Park, Roscam and Doughiska) recorded an increase in population of just over 6% from 12,298 to 13,053, while Taylor’s Hill (Taylor’s Hill Road to Rahoon Road and St Mary’s Road to Bishop O’Donnell Road) was up 503 from 2,457 to 2,960 (20.5%).
Dangan saw a 12% increase over the five-year period from 3,686 to 4,130; Murrough was up 17.6% from 2,414 to 2,838 and the Claddagh was up 7.5% from 2,429 to 2,612.
While Wellpark had the highest percentage decline at -10.2% (1,834 to 1,655), the biggest drop in population in real terms was in the Eyre Square electoral division (including the Docks, Merchant’s Road, Eyre Square, College Road and up to Cemetery Cross), down 359 people from 4,461 to 4,102 (-8%)
Declines were also recorded in Castlegar (-2.4%) from 4,135 to 4,037 and Renmore (-6.1%) from 1,394 to 1,309. The most heavily populated electoral districts in the city are now Bearna, Ballybane, Menlo and Dangan.
Meanwhile, on Census night in April 2016, the County Galway (excluding city) population stood at 179,048 – therefore, the combined population has increased to 258,058, up 3% since the 2011 Census when it stood at 250,541.
In the county, towns such as Athenry, Tuam, Gort, Kinvara and Clarinbridge recorded the biggest increases (up between 9%-13%), while Clifden – the town and the rural area – saw its population decline by up to one-fifth.
Nationally, Census 2016 shows that Ireland’s population stood at 4,761,865, an increase of 173,613 (3.8%) since April 2011.
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