Openstreetmap - Putting County Galway on the map

Some of you who frequent the Galway city forum may have come across a thread I started nearly a year ago where I looked for help in adding detail to Galway City on www.openstreetmap.org. In that time there have been edits made to Galway city by 80+ people resulting in the volume of work as indicated by the image below (everything not blue is done in the last 12 months)



Why bother? Whats the point? Can't I just use Google maps?
The whole point of openstreetmap is that it is completely open. Anyone can take the data and use it whatever way they like and not pay a single penny for the data. Want an example? How about Galway as gaeilge. There is a blue cross in the right hand corner of that map, click it for alternatives on how to view the map. It can also be made to look anyway you want and only show the information you want. This webpage shows openstreetmap's many different variations that people have made, in each tile.

Its also not just a map of roads, it can be a map of whatever you want, forest walks, golf courses, etc, you just add the information to the map.

As the map of Galway city has now reached a stage where it is on an equal footing with existing alternatives (Google, bing, OSI), I have switched my personal focus to the mapping of County Galway. I recently spent several weekends adding every lake in Connemara (there are soooo many) south of the N59 from Clifden to Galway, with a plan to go north of it soon.

I have also added as much detail as I could for several towns and villages around Galway as I passed through e.g. Monivea, Loughrea, Athenry, Gort. See below for a before and after for Gort





However, the big problem I have is that I am only passing through some of these places and some of them not very often so I can only gather small bits of information here and there. There are other people adding detail to the map for Galway e.g. Carraroe & Portumna but we need more.

Microsoft have allowed openstreetmap to use Bing imagery to trace from and this has been a great help (see Connemara lakes) however while things can be traced by anyone, only someone local to the area can put a name or other details on it (schools, churches, businesses, forests etc).

I would like help from people from the various areas around County Galway to help and map their area's. Its can be as much or as little as you like.

If people are interested, you can sign up here. There is also a complete wiki with a detailed beginners guide and other useful resources such as a Map Features page.

If anyone has any questions or needs help getting started, please feel free to ask or pop into the Irish OSM chatroom (opens chatroom in a new window) where a lot of us map folks hang out and well, basically talk lots about maps

civis_liberalis

I've been adding bits and pieces in my own area and also soccer / gaa pitches around the county, since I can accurately place them despite not knowing the areas they are in that well.

yup, seems some others have followed your lead, especially around Oughterard and Portumna

I'm currently working my way back from Clifden to Galway city adding everything I can find along the way. If anyone see's a road / school / forest / pitch etc on that map that isnt named and you know the name, please go ahead and name it

I'm currently mapping the remaining missing roads in East Galway and am coming across a few bits that I'm hoping folks here might be able to help with.

For instance, does anyone know what this is near Tuam?

civis_liberalis

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm currently mapping the remaining missing roads in East Galway and am coming across a few bits that I'm hoping folks here might be able to help with.

For instance, does anyone know what this is near Tuam?

Toghermore Pitch and Putt.

bagels

Fair play to you guys, thanks a million for your tremendous unselfish efforts.
If you want any help in naming roads or buildings in Tuam let me know and I'll be happy to oblige.

bagels

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Toghermore Pitch and Putt.

Correct.
I'm not sure if the pitch 'n putt course is still open.

Its located at Toghermore House, a HSE run psychiatric inpatient and outpatient treatment centre.
The course has been maintained by staff and patients but there's upheaval at the moment with the HSE doing their utmost to downgrade or close the terrific psychiatric services available there.

The estate was donated to the people by the late great Bobby Burke, a former socialist politician, who devoted his life to doing good for others. He is referred to locally as Tuam's Benefactor.
Its worthwhile googling him.

Cheers for the info. I'll add the details tonight

Bagels, I'll post a link in a while showing the roads in Tuam missing details. If you could takea crack at those it would be great as I only go to Tuam once or less a year

Here you go, roads around Tuam missing names / ref #'s

Is Toghermore Pitch and Putt open to the public? If not, I'll mark it as private

Does anyone know what this is in Glinsk? Is it the heritage park? I think it is, but would really like someone from the area to confirm that before I map it.

http://binged.it/1xGuyJi

civis_liberalis

How is this project coming along? I made a small number of edits myself in the past to fill out my own area but due to how bad my internet is and how terrible my computer was, I gave it up.

Might resume again and add some more.

Just curious how the whole county project is getting on. The city seems to be done incredibly well.