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Connacht ( alternatively according to the Oxford English Dictionary; , ()), is the western province of Ireland, comprising of Counties Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo.
In Irish the province is usually Cúige Chonnacht i.e. the province (literally, fifth) of Connacht. Its main urban centres are Galway in the south, and Sligo in the north. It has a population of 503,083, the smallest of the four Irish provinces.
An alternative spelling which was used more before Irish indepedence is Connaught[1]
The Irish language is spoken in the Gaeltacht areas of west Mayo and west Galway, the largest being Connemara.
The highest point of Connacht is Mweelrea (814 metres), in Mayo. The largest island in Connacht is Achill, also the largest island of Ireland. The biggest lake is Lough Corrib.
Up to the early historic era, it was known as Cóiced Ol nEchmacht.
The "Republic of Connaught" had a brief existence in 1798 with French military support.
Connacht-Ulster was one of Ireland's four regional constituencies for elections to the European Parliament until it was superseded in 2004 by the new constituency of Ireland North West.
The largest city in Connacht is Galway with a population of 71,983 (2006) in the city proper. The second city to be granted city status is Sligo in the North West 2 hours north of Galway with the first city bus line introduced shortly after Sligo was heralded a city.