"KYLEMORE"
Kylemore Castle is often erroneously referred to as Kylemore Abby when
in fact the Abby, a small but magnificent Gothic Church, sits several
hundred yards beyond in the trees at the edge of Kylemore Loch. Kylemore,
from the Irish An Choill Mhor [place of the large trees] is located at
the edge of the Connemara, about 17 km. from Clifden in the County
Galway.
The story behind Kylemore Abby all began sometime in or about 1849 with
a holiday taken by wealthy Liverpool merchant Mitchell Henry and his
wife, Margaret. The couple visited the Connemara in County Galway and
immediately fell in love with the region; thus, it was not surprising
that in 1862 Mitchell Henry leased Kylemore Lodge, located on beautiful
Lough Kylemore.
In 1867 the construction of Kylemore Castle was commenced, and the
magnificent structure was completed finally in 1871; it was indeed the
‘perfect holiday spot’ for Henry and his wife.
As with so many Irish stories in which tragedy is an underlying theme,
this story does not differentiate. In 1874 Margaret Henry was taken ill
with the ‘Nile Fever’ and died while on holiday in Egypt. Heartbroken,
Mitchell Henry ordered the construction of Kylemore Abby, as a memorial
to honor his wife, Margaret, and in 1878 the lovely Gothic church was
completed. Located in the trees at the edge of beautiful Lough Kylemore,
the edifice sits but a few hundred yards beyond the castle proper.
In 1903, the Duke and Duchess of Manchester purchased the properties but
lost it in 1913 when their mortgage was foreclosed upon. Fortunately,
the land and imposing structures thereupon were purchased in 1920 by the
Benedictine Nuns, and in 1923 they established Kylemore Castle as a very
successful International Boarding School.
In 1959 tragedy struck yet again, and a fire destroyed part of the Abby,
which then sat unused for a number of years. The Benedictine nuns were
nothing short of innovative, however, and in 1975 they opened a Gift
Shop and Pottery. They also opened a cafeteria to serve the tourists [
this writer can attest to the wonderful soups, breads, and pastries! ]
and in 1995 the Chapel, now completely renovated, was officially
reopened.
Today, Kylemore is one of the most photographed subjects on the ‘Tourist
Trail’ and if you’re in the area, be sure to visit the Cafeteria !!
Prints on heavy acid-free archival stock are
available.
Paper prints are matted in dark green to 18 x 24 overall
to fit into your frame.......
price is $185.00 which includes any applicable tax and shipping.
Other sizes as well as canvas prints are available by special order -
Contact the artist!
Framing available upon request.
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