Tuam is a town in County Galway, whose religious heritage (such as the ornamental High Cross) is the main reason to visit. Tuam means tumulus or burial mound and there was a Bronze Age settlement here, but it was from the 6th century that the town grew as an ecclesiastical centre under St Jarlath. It was effectively the capital of Ireland in the 12th century, when the High King Rory O’Connor resided here. Tuam lies 32 km north of Galway city, and had a population of 9600 in 2022.

By car from Dublin follow M6 west to Athenry then M17 north, which ends outside Tuam. N17 forms the town bypass and continues north to Sligo.

Citylink Bus 721 runs four times a day from Dublin Airport, taking 2 hr 30 min via Dublin city and Athlone, and continues west to Claremorris and Castlebar.

Citylink Bus 430 runs five times a day from Ballina in Mayo via Foxford, Castlebar and Claremorris to Tuam and Galway. Expressway Bus 52 duplicates this route.

Expressway Bus 64 runs every couple of hours from Galway to Tuam (40 min) and continues north to Knock town and airport, Sligo, Donegal Town, Letterkenny and Derry.

Burkes Bus 427 meanders hourly through the back lanes between Galway and Tuam, taking an hour. Twice a day it extends to Dunmore. Bus 428 takes a slightly different roundabout route five times a day.

53.5171-8.85041 Presentation College or Holy Cross College is the name on timetables for the inter-city bus stop, on Joe O'Toole Rd just north of Supervalu. The 427 / 428 buses make multiple stops through town.

Athenry is the nearest railway station: trains between Dublin Heuston and Galway stop there, but there's no onward public transport to Tuam. Either fix a ride or stay aboard until Galway for the bus.

'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000002-QINU`"'

Map of Tuam

The town is compact and walkable, but to reach the outlying sights you need wheels, preferably better than the Saint's.

Taxis in town are Padraig Harrington (+353 87 997 9647) and Martin Welby (+353 87 920 8191).

• 53.5145-8.85311 Teampall Jarlath on High St is a fenced-off ruined 13th century church. Here the town story begins and the journey of St Jarlath (Iarlaithe mac Loga) ended. He lived in Connacht circa 450-540 AD and may be the same Iarlaithe who was Bishop of Armagh, though that fellow died in 481 AD. One of his students, St Brendan of Clonfert, told him (circa 520) to set off in a new chariot, and wherever it broke would be the place of his resurrection. This sounds like telling a senior member of the Faculty that he's actually been dead this last 40 years and even the undergraduates are beginning to notice - high time he retired. And if the chariot was sold as new, it was a dud, because Jarlath got all of 3 km from Cloonfush to Tuam before the wheel shaft broke. So here he founded a monastery, and the town grew up around it, taking a broken chariot wheel as its symbol. The church on this spot is similarly broken.
• 53.5156-8.85062 Chair of Tuam is the modern marker for the "wonderful castle" built in 1164 by Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Connor), the last native High King of Ireland, and which is more romantically known nowadays as O'Tooles Car Park. Nothing else to see except asphalt and white lines, maybe a couple of antique traffic cones. The king retired to Cong Abbey and when he left, Tuam lost much of its importance.
• 53.5138-8.85543 St Mary’s Cathedral, Abbey Trinity H54 XD29, ☏ +353 94 954 6909. This Church of Ireland (Protestant) cathedral is mostly from the 1870s, but the Romanesque chancel arch is from the short-lived 12th-century first cathedral, while the Synod Hall, Library and Registry are from the 14th-century second cathedral. The stalls of the Synod Hall are believed to come from a Piedmont monastery. The 20th-century stain glass windows are very fine. The High Cross of Tuam was erected here on completion of the first cathedral. It was broken up when that cathedral fell, but re-assembled for display in Dublin in 1852. The Roman Catholic and C-of-I cathedrals then feuded over where the restored cross should be returned to. As a compromise it was set up midway in the town square, where it endured weather, pollution and thundering trucks for a century, before being cleaned and returned to St Mary's. (updated May 2025)

• 53.5148-8.84764 Tuam Cathedral (Cathedral Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Bishop St, ☏ +353 93 24250. Under Queen Elizabeth I, the Roman Catholics were ejected from St Mary's and their other places of worship, and forbidden to assemble for mass or build new churches. Only with the 19th-century overturn of the Penal Laws could they build this, their own cathedral, completed in 1837 in Decorated Gothic style. (updated May 2025)
• 53.519-8.8495 Palace Grounds are pleasant parkland north side of town.
• 53.516-8.9076 Cloonfush is the place where St Jarlath is supposed to have taught, before setting out on the journey that deposited him in Tuam. The graveyard has the fragmentary remains of an abbey, and a mass is held here on his feast day, 6 June. Cloonfush is at the dead-end of a lane into a semi-circle of land bounded by the River Clare, a bog that was cut for peat. Only in the 21st century did the place get a piped water supply instead of pumping from the bog.
• 53.482-8.9627 Cnoc Meadha or Knockma is a wooded hill 8 km southwest of Tuam with pleasant strolls and views. The turret stump on its north edge is 13th-century Castle Hackett (Caisleán an Haicéadaigh). That was abandoned in the 18th century and the landowners built a new Castle Hackett 1 km north. It was torched in 1923 during the Civil War but rebuilt - it has been a hotel but this has closed.
• 53.4405-8.74298 Knockmoy Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey founded in 1190 by King Cathal O'Connor, who is buried here. It's in the fields midway between Tuam and Athenry.
• Ross Errily Friary is a substantial ruin near Headford on the boundary with County Mayo, see Cong.

• What's on? Read the Tuam Herald for local events.
• Mall Theatre and Arts Centre is on Stable Lane 100 m south of Teampall Jarlath.
• Coral Leisure Centre has a gym, fitness classes and pool. It's by Palace Grounds park.
• 53.494-8.8361 Tuam Golf Club is 2 km south of town on Athenry Rd. It's a parkland course of 6138 m (blue tees), par 72.
• Walking: scenic walks include Cnoc Meadha (Knockma) described above, and the river walk at Milltown 10 km north on N17.
• Gaelic football: 53.437-8.862 Corofin GAA are one of the top GAA clubs, yet such is Gaelic sports' resolutely amateur, local focus that few outside Ireland have ever heard of them. The stadium is 6 km south of Tuam off N83; you can't access from M17.
• Fishing: Tuam is a 30-min drive from Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, both with excellent freshwater fishing.

• Aldi and Lidl are edge of town along Galway Rd. Stores in town are Tesco and Supervalu.

• Xian Street Food on High St is open daily 4-11PM.
• Cré na Cille, High St H54 WY98, ☏ +353 93 28232. W-Sa 5-9PM. This long-established restaurant continues to serve tasty and innovative food. (updated May 2025)
• Gather, High St H54 X026, ☏ +353 93 27739. W Th Su 10AM-4PM, F Sa 10AM-4PM, 5:30-9PM. Trad and Mediterranean cuisine. (updated May 2025)
• Osaka does Japanese ramen and bento at 47 Shop St, open W-M 12:30-10PM.
• Santori is an Indian restaurant on Chapel Lane behind Osaka, open M-Sa 5-10PM, Su 1-10PM.

• A slew of pubs near the main crossroads includes Brogue Bar, Front Room, Man of Aran, Geoghegan's and The Woolstore.

• Corralea Court, The Square, Tuam H54 YE00, ☏ +353 93 24188. This is now being used as refugee accommodation. (updated May 2025)
• 53.5271-8.85191 Ard Ri House Hotel, Milltown Road, Tuam H54 V267, ☏ +353 93 40100. Decent mid-range place 1 km north of centre. B&B double €130. (updated May 2025)

As of May 2025, Tuam and its approach roads have 4G from Eir, and 5G from Three and Vodafone.

• South is lively Galway, and further south is the spare karstic scenery of The Burren.
• West pass through Cong, film location for The Quiet Man, to reach the Connemara coast around Letterfrack and Clifden.
• North takes you into Castlebar and wild lonely County Mayo.