Clifden packed ahead of Connemara Pony Show but question marks over year-round vibrancy and sustainability

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Clifden is thronged in the run-up to this year’s Connemara Pony Show, which runs from this Tuesday until Friday

It marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the Connemara Pony Breeder’s Society

However, recent Census statistics show that the demographic picture of Clifden raises question marks year-round vibrancy and sustainability in the town.

All that is now needed is the sunshine to paint a great picture of Clifden in mid-August. The crowds are in and the splendid Connemara ponies will be a sight to behold this week.

It is a town rich in history and the capital of Connemara.

However, recent statistics from the Census are disappointing and challenging.

The first report from the 2022 Census showed a drop of 6.2% in the town population as compared to six years ago. That followed a significant drop in Clifden’s population between 2011 and 2016.

Only three towns and villages in Connacht and Donegal with a population over 1500 had a population drop in the period from 2016 to 2022 and Clifden was the worst affected in the region.

The most recent statistics from the Census now show that Clifden has the oldest population profile in Co Galway towns.

The national average for this section is 38.8 years.

However, the average age for Clifden town’s year around inhabitants is touching of 44 years.