Ballinasloe (/ˌbælnəˈsloʊ/ bal-na-SLOH; Irish: Béal Átha na Sluaighe, meaning 'mouth of the ford of the crowds')[10] is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht.

Built around a 12th-century castle, which defended the fording point, the modern town of Ballinasloe was "founded" in the early 13th century.

A local housing estate, a GAA club, the branch of Conradh na Gaeilge, and formerly a school are named after him.

While there is evidence of more ancient settlement in the area (including crannog and ringfort sites in Garbally Demesne),[11][12] Richard Mór de Burgh (c.1194–c.1242) is credited with founding the town in the early 13th century.

[23] About 40 families were evacuated by boat after the flooding caused over €8 million worth of damage in the town, with a number of buildings left under water for several weeks.

[24][25] An archaeological survey, undertaken in September 2021 as part of a street enhancement programme in the town, revealed a number of human skeletons and 17-century artefacts, 12 centimetres below existing footpaths.

[36] In May 2024, the BACD celebrated its 25th anniversary and opened the town's Enterprise Hub on Society Street, providing office space, workspaces and a meeting room.

In November 2004, Dubarry ceased its manufacturing facility in the town, however, its product development, marketing and distribution departments, remain in Ballinasloe.

[50] In June 2019, planning permission was granted for a five-screen Omniplex cinema to be built near the Tesco store in the town.

[54] Places of interest in the surrounding area include: Once a notorious traffic jam on the old Galway to Dublin road, Ballinasloe is now bypassed by the M6 motorway.

Bus Éireann and Aircoach previously served the town, but announced in September 2020 and March 2024 respectively that it would end its Dublin to Galway services.

[63] A large market typically takes place, along with a number of events, fireworks, a dog show and a fun fair beside Ballinasloe's town theatre.

The event has run annually since 2014, in commemoration of Larry Reynolds, a former Ballinasloe native who emigrated to the United States in 1953 and brought the east Galway style of music to Boston.

[77] First held in 2009,[78] the local community put their own twist on classic fairytales, including Sleeping Beauty in 2017,[79] Aladdin in 2018, Rapunzel in 2019[80] and Cinderella in 2022.

[82] It contains the electoral divisions of: Ballinasloe Town Commissioners came into being on 22 February 1841 by order of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Rear-Admiral William Le Poer Trench was in the chair and the members included Father Laurence Dillon, P. P.; Rev.

[85] Local and regional newspapers include the Ballinasloe Life magazine,[86] the Connacht Tribune, Galway Advertiser, Athlone Topic and the Roscommon Herald.

Opened by the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood in 1943, it is managed by the Saolta University Health Care Group.

[102] Ballinasloe is home to one of three National Ambulance Service College campuses in Ireland, which trains paramedics and intermediate care operatives.

[103] On 12 November 2021, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Education Norma Foley visited Ballinasloe to announce the approval of a new eight classroom building for St Teresa's Special School.