Kylemore

Kylemore (Choill Mhór - the big wood) lies at the top of the Inagh Valley and is hidden between the mountains of Connemara and the Atlantic ocean. The mountainous valley around Kylemore is an area of old oakwoods which terrace the mountainside. The area is also famous for angling on the three Kylemore Ioughs, an appealing and refreshing character of the area. Kylemore is only a short drive from the neighbouring villages of Letterfrack and Leenane.

Picturesque Kylemore Abbey, the home of the Benedictine nuns, stands at the edge of the lake surrounded by woodlands. The gothic castle was built by Mitchell Henry, an English businessman in 1865. After the tragic death of his wife about a decade later he lost interest in the estate and it was eventually bought by the Benedictine order after fleeing their convent in Ypres during World War One. The grounds and part of the Abbey are open to the public.