Formerly a traffic nightmare, the village (at the north-east corner of Galway Bay) has in recent years been by-passed and has become a great deal more pleasant as a result. It consists of one street with some restaurants and several pubs. If you are travelling the N17 (Gort-Galway road) and are in need of a quiet refreshment, then its worth taking a visit.
The small statue at the junction of the Dublin Road is of Liam Mellowes, a local patriot, and there are a number of field monuments in the immediate locality.
Its local festival (the Shawl Festival) takes place in July; the name derives from a local sentimental ballad, The Galway Shawl, which mentions Oranmore in its first line.
There is a highly-rated golf course (designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr.) nearby, and the local castle was restored from a ruinous state by the writer Anita Leslie.
