The town is a popular angling centre for the eastern shore of Lough Corrib, and Greenfields, 6.5 km west of the town, is its boating harbour. It is 2 km south of the Black River which is the county boundary with Mayo and noted also for its trout angling.

It is also the centre of an area richly endowed with archaeological monuments including prehistoric burial cairns, Iron Age stone enclosures, early Norman and later castles, and many monastic sites.

These include Ross Errilly Friary, founded in 1351, which has been described  as the best preserved monastic ruin in Ireland.

The modern cattle mart replaces the fairs and markets once held in the town’s two squares and it ensures the local popularity of this North Galway town.

The annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade in 2009 marked the return of a market in the town, which has been held once a month in the square since then.