Connemara & Kylemore

Big skies and empty roads

Connemara is the rugged region west of Lough Corrib: blanket bog, hundreds of small lakes, white-sand beaches and the quartzite peaks of the Twelve Bens. The light changes by the minute, which is why painters and photographers keep coming back. Connemara National Park, near Letterfrack, protects almost 3,000 hectares of mountain and bog.

Hidden in the Pass of Kylemore, Kylemore Abbey was built between 1867 and 1871 as a castle for the businessman Mitchell Henry. Benedictine nuns have lived there since 1920. Its lakeside setting and restored Victorian walled garden make it one of the most visited places in the west.

Don't miss

• Diamond Hill, a 7 km loop from the national park visitor centre with views over the coast and the islands.
• Kylemore Abbey and its six-acre walled garden.
• Killary Harbour, a long, narrow sea inlet often described as Ireland's fjord.
• Clifden, the region's main town, and the Sky Road loop west of it.

Kylemore Abbey

Mitchell Henry built Kylemore as a gift for his wife, Margaret, after they honeymooned in the area. After her early death he added a small neo-Gothic church in her memory, often called a cathedral in miniature.

The estate is open year-round. Allow at least half a day to see the abbey rooms, the church and the walled garden, which is linked to the house by a shuttle bus and a lakeside path.

Local tip

Watch out for sheep on the roads, and fill the tank before you leave Galway or Clifden: petrol stations are few and far between in the heart of Connemara.

Nearby

Galway City · Aran Islands · Slieve League · All destinations