Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Castle was built in 1868 as a private home for the family of a wealthy doctor from London whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester in England.. The construction of the castle began in 1867, and took the total of one hundred men and four years to complete. The castle covered approximately 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) and had over seventy rooms with a principal wall that was two to three feet thick. There were 33 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 sitting rooms, a ballroom, billiard room, library, study, school room, smoking room, gun room and various offices and domestic staff residences for the butler, cook, housekeeper and other servants.
In 1920, the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the Abbey castle and lands after they were forced to flee Ypres, Belgium during World War I. The nuns offered education to Catholic girls, opening an international boarding school and establishing a day school for girls from the locality. The school acted as the main educator for most girls from Renvyle, Letterfrack and further afield for almost a century but it was forced to close in June 2010. The nuns have since been developing new education and retreat activities.
The Estate includes large walled Victorian Gardens. Since the 1970s these have been open for public tours and 'nature' walks. The Benedictine community has restored the Abbey's gardens and Cathedral with donations and local artisans in order to be a self-sustaining estate.
Visiting Kylemore Abbey - Stay with us at Connemara Coast Hotel and relax in our outdoor hot tub as you watch the colours of the sunset resting in the calm waters of Galway Bay. With the serenity of our location coupled with our spectacular views, coastal walks and rugged landscape we can guarantee you getaway to remember.
