Meaning & use
Connacht
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
One of the four traditional provinces of Ireland, covering the west of the country and including counties such as Galway, Mayo and Sligo.
Grammar: Used as a name, so it takes no article and no plural: say 'in Connacht', not 'in the Connacht'.
Patterns
- in Connacht
- the province of Connacht
- Connacht and Ulster
Her grandparents farmed near Ballina, in the north of Connacht.
Galway is the largest city in Connacht and a popular stop for visitors.
The railway line once linked Dublin with several towns across Connacht.
proper nounproperliteraryold-fashioned
The people or the ancient kingdom associated with this western Irish province, as referred to in history and mythology.
Grammar: Used in historical writing, often with words like 'kings of' or 'the men of'.
Patterns
- the kings of Connacht
- the men of Connacht
Old stories tell of a queen who ruled Connacht in the distant past.
Historians still argue about the borders of the ancient kingdom of Connacht.
Common combinations
- in Connacht
- They spent a week traveling in Connacht, mostly along the coast.
- the province of Connacht
- The province of Connacht is made up of five counties.
- across Connacht
- Heavy rain fell across Connacht and Ulster overnight.
- the west of Connacht
- The west of Connacht is famous for its wild Atlantic scenery.
- a Connacht accent
- You can sometimes hear a soft Connacht accent in her speech.
- the Connacht final
- The Connacht final draws big crowds every summer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Connaught
- An older English spelling of the same province, now mainly seen in historical writing and in some titles; Connacht is the usual modern form.
Word family
- Connachtman noun
- A man from Connacht, used mainly in sport and local writing.
- Connachtwoman noun
- A woman from Connacht, used in the same way as Connachtman.
Commonly confused: Connacht or Connaught? Connacht or Ulster?
Connacht vs Connaught
This is not a different place: it is simply an older spelling of Connacht, so both refer to the same Irish province.
Connacht vs Ulster
Ulster is another Irish province, in the north; learners sometimes mix the two up because both names appear in news about Ireland.
Practice
Which sentence uses the name of this Irish province correctly?
Choose one answer.
Connacht is a proper name for a region, so it takes no article and no plural: 'in Connacht' is correct. 'In the Connacht' wrongly adds an article, and 'in Connachts' wrongly makes it plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Connacht”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.