Connacht
Connacht (previously known by the English spelling: Connaught)1 is the north-western province of Ireland, comprising the counties of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon. Its population as of the census of 2002) was 464,050.
See also: Provinces of Ireland; Duke of Connaught
Connacht-Ulster was one of Ireland's four regional constituencies for elections to the European Parliament until it was superseded in 2004 by the new constituency of Ireland North West.
1 The change in spelling was in part a result of a change in the use of script in Irish from Gaelic to Latin lettering. Many names and spellings of names were changed as a result. Connaught, which was based on an anglicisation of Connacht (the acht is pronounced as aught), was phased out from official usage and the Gaelic Connacht used in both the Irish and English languages. The older spelling is still used by some internationally, though its usage is in decline.
Footnote
Counties of Ireland
Republic of Ireland: Carlow | Cavan | Clare | Cork | Donegal | Dublin | Galway | Kerry | Kildare | Kilkenny | Laois | Leitrim | Limerick | Longford | Louth | Mayo | Meath | Monaghan | Offaly | Roscommon | Sligo | Tipperary | Waterford | Westmeath | Wexford | Wicklow
Northern Ireland: Antrim | Armagh | Derry | Down | Fermanagh | Tyrone
Provinces of Ireland: Connacht | Leinster | Munster | Ulster