Kylemore Abbey, home to the Irish Benedictine nuns, is located in the heart of Connemara. It is located a very picturesque area on the edge of a lake surrounded by woodlands and mountains. The Abbey was originally built in 1868 by Mitchell Henry. For his wife Margaret but their history is a sad story.

The Abbey is best described as neo-gothic and the house still displays all the characteristics of that period. The Benedictine nuns took over the Abbey in 1920. The main hallway and three reception rooms have been restored and are open to the public. The remainder of the Abbey is home to the Community of Nuns and the International Boarding School.

The exterior of the Abbey building is granite. The walls are castellated and five embattled towers rise from the east, west and centre of the building. There is also a bell tower to the rear. Under the oriel window in the centre of the building is a shield bearing the Henry Coat of Arms. On either side of the doorway is a set of three Peterhead granite columns with carved stone capitals. Inside the door there is a frontispiece with the inscription ‘Pax - Peace’, this is the motto of the order of St. Benedict.
Originally there were four entrance halls; today there are two, the Outer Hall and the Inner Hall.

Mitchell Henry built the Gothic Church between 1877 and 1881 as a memorial to his wife, following her untimely death. The Church is a ‘cathedral in miniature’, complete with a crypt, projecting corner buttresses and carved angelic gargoyles. The interior is embellished with a variety of Irish marble columns. The columns support the gothic arches of the decorative caen stone ceiling. In the south transept, a beautiful stained glass tracery window depicts the five graces; Fortitude, Faith, Charity, Hope and Chastity. The Church is a centre of reflection and prayer for many visitors.

The Victorian Walled Garden, situated 1.6 km (1 mile) from the Abbey, is 3.4 hectares (8.5 acres) in extent, 2.4 hectares (6 acres) of which are completely enclosed by a brick and limestone wall. The garden was constructed at the same time at the Castle and was laid out by the head gardener, James Garnier. The glasshouses were designed by Cranstons of Birmingham. These could be walked through from end to end and acted as a winter garden for the ladies on wet days.

A trip to the west of Ireland is not complete without experiencing the beauty and tranquility of Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. Facilities at Kylemore include a visitor centre, an exhibition housed in the main reception rooms of the house and a video which takes the visitor through the history of the house and its occupants. The Visitor Centre and exhibition, Gothic Church and Craft shop are open all year. For more information go to www.kylemoreabbey.com