Ballinasloe (/ˌbælnəˈsloʊ/ bal-na-SLOH; Irish: Béal Átha na Sluaighe, meaning 'mouth of the ford of the crowds') is a town in the easternmost part of County Galway in Connacht. Located at an ancient crossing point on the River Suck, evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of Bronze Age sites. Built around a 12th-century castle, which defended the fording point, the modern town of Ballinasloe was "founded" in the early 13th century. As of the 2016 census, it was one of the largest towns in County Galway, with a population of 6,662 people.