On the coast road west of Galway City , Spiddal has two beaches ; one is by the roadside east of the village , the other is sheltered behind the pier and is reached by means of a narrow road west of the village. Spiddal is busy in summer as the road is one of only two by which the heart of Connemara can be reached. There is a 'craft village' (really a collection of workshops on one site) where a variety of craft items is produced. Near Spiddal was the home of the historian Roderick O'Flaherty , who died in poverty nearby in 1718. Spiddal is a noted centre for students of the Irish Language ; a school devoted to this purpose , Coláiste Chonnact stands on the outskirts of the village. The rocks behind the pier , and the pier itself , provide some shore angling when the mackerel shoals are in.