Kylemore Abbey: Day 21 – Ireland 2014

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29 April 2014

After hitting up the shops in Doolin, we said goodbye to our little haven and the beautiful sea, to the Aran Islands in the distance and the Cliffs of Moher nearby, and to the little town we’d come to love. The open road would take us to Kylemore Abbey, but we didn’t make it far from town before hitting one of the best roadblocks ever.

COWS!!

Now, being from rural Texas, this is not a new sight to us. But for some unknown reason, it’s far more fun to encounter in Ireland than here at home! We slowly made our way by, smiling and waving to the folks herding them on down the road.

Sky Road

Sky Road is a gorgeous stretch of road that leaves out of Clifden. We were running a bit late in the day so we didn’t drive all of it, but what little bit we did drive was absolutely breathtaking. The views are to die for! We didn’t realize how short of a drive it actually is, or we would have definitely made the whole loop. It’s an 11 km circular route and is something we highly recommend if you’re in the area. The drive from Doolin to Clifden was also beautiful. Honestly, who am I kidding? There wasn’t one part of Ireland that wasn’t beautiful!

The Drive From Doolin To Clifden and Sky Road

Connemara National
Park

Our big destination of the day saw us driving through Connemara National Park to get there. From the very start, we knew we’d made a mistake by not setting aside time to explore the park. We could have easily spent DAYS driving through, hiking, and camping. Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier, we were on a time crunch to get to the main attraction, so we simply drove through and admired the scenery. I think the route we drove took us around the outskirts of the park, but it was gorgeous nonetheless. Hopefully, we’ll get to make it back in the future. There is much to explore!

A Few Snapshots From Connemara National Park

Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey is one of the most iconic sites in Ireland. You’ve probably seen photos of it before, its majestic beauty reflecting back to you in the calm waters it sits near. We were speechless as we drove up. It was one of our most looked-forward-to destinations and we were not disappointed.

For a bit of history, Kylemore Abbey was built between 1863 and 1868 as a private home for Mitchell Henry and his family. He and his wife, Margaret, fell in love with the area while on their honeymoon many years before and decided to purchase land and build there. Their happiness was not long-lived. During a trip to Egypt in 1874, Margaret fell ill. After two weeks of suffering, she succumbed to her illness. She was embalmed in Cairo before being brought back to Ireland. She rests in the small mausoleum on the estate grounds.

In 1878, Mitchell’s last gift to his wife’s memory began. Construction was started on the miniature neo-Gothic church. Margaret’s remains were never moved to the vaults below the church, and instead, she remains in the mausoleum with her devoted husband, Mitchell, never again to part.

Life After The Henry Family

The castle was sold to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester in 1903. Their style differences were rather drastic, to put it mildly, and the Duke and Duchess did not waste time in renovating. This did not go over well with locals and those who knew the Henry family and most considered it a desecration to their memory. Lavish parties and extravagance followed the Duke and Duchess into Kylemore, but their stay was not forever. In 1914, after the death of the Duchess’ father, they left Kylemore. Rumor has it that the Duke lost ownership of Kylemore in a card game gone awry, but I think it has solidly remained just that, a rumor.

In 1920, Kylemore finally gained the rest of its current name. After their abbey was destroyed in Ypres at the beginning of WWI, the community of Benedictine nuns made their way to England for refuge. They then went to County Wexford and finally, Kylemore. Thus began Kylemore Abbey. The nuns opened a girls school which was in operation until 2010. Kylemore Abbey is still home to the Benedictine nuns.

Our Visit

We spent roughly three hours at Kylemore Abbey, and frankly, it wasn’t enough. We could have easily spent the entire day there. There is much to see! As we walked past the actual castle area, we decided to go to the chapel first. There was a large group going into the castle and we didn’t want to feel rushed.

The chapel isn’t far from the castle and it is truly stunning. A true cathedral-in-miniature, it sits peacefully in a small clearing. If you’re impressed by the outside, just wait until you step indoors. Stained glass windows, carved stone, and columns of Irish marble surround the peaceful sanctuary. Built for his beloved wife Margaret after she died, you can feel the love that Henry had for her in every inch of this masterpiece.

The Chapel

One interesting note about the marble in the chapel is that it is all Irish marble. The red (or pink) marble is from Cork, the black marble is from Kilkenny, and the green marble is from the very area that Kylemore resides in; Connemara.

Walking Along The Water

Next, we took the path toward the mausoleum where Henry and Margaret are resting. (From looking at the website, the mausoleum might come first, but our pictures are in this order, so that’s what I’ll go with.) It’s a lovely walk with some interesting sites along the way. At one point in the walk, there is a large hand reaching up out of the ground. Across the path from it is a huge triangular chunk of stone. There are legends associated with both. For a more in-depth look at the legend tied to the stone (and other legends of the area), check this out. In short, the stone is now a wishing stone. Standing with your back against the stone, if you can toss a pebble backward over the top, your wish will come true. You can bet we tried!

Across from the stone is a giant hand reaching out of the ground. On our map of the grounds, it gave a little story to go along with it. While standing in the center of the hand, if one tells a lie, the hand will close around them. I can’t find anything online about it, but that’s how I remember it, at least!

The walk itself is lovely—forest to one side, a gentle slope down to the lake on the other. We took our time enjoying the path and the beauty it had to offer.

The Mausoleum

Tucked back in the woods, there stands a small, brick building. This quiet spot is the final resting place of Mitchell and Margaret Henry. Despite the chapel being finished before any other family deaths, none of the Henry family is interred there. When Margaret died, she not only left a grieving husband but nine children.

Kylemore Abbey

We retraced our steps back up the trail and found ourselves again on the doorstep of Kylemore Abbey. It seemed quieter now, so we went inside. Of the rooms that we were able to see, I can say that it is an exquisite house. It’s grand and beautiful and so, so amazing. I’d love to be able to compare its present state with what it was like when first built, just to see the changes made over the years. But I’ll have to settle for the beauty that it is now.

Looking at the website, it seems that there is far more to see now than when we were there. There are displays about the history of the place and all those that lived there and the furnished rooms look a little different from our visit. You’ll definitely have a lot to enjoy!

Our Visit To Kylemore Abbey

Upon exiting the house, you get an incredible view, right off the doorstep:

The Walled Garden

By the time we got to the garden, we were running out of time. Kylemore Abbey closed at 6 PM (now 5 PM, according to their website), and we were fast approaching that hour. Determined to make every minute count, we took off at a brisk pace.

When it was built, it was one of the most advanced gardens of the era. It was massive and employed 40 gardeners. Over the years, it fell into disuse and it began to crumble. Luckily for all of us, the Benedictine nuns who occupy Kylemore Abbey began restoring the garden in the mid-90s. It was still being restored when we visited, but today, it is simply stunning. The reasons for going back to Kylemore just keep growing! If you’re a garden lover like me, you can learn more about the Victorian Walled Garden of Kylemore Abbey here.

The Victorian Walled Garden

Farewell, Kylemore Abbey

We were practically running back to the main part of the estate by the end of our visit. It was nearly six o’clock and we didn’t want to be a nuisance. I was rather disappointed because we didn’t get to go to the gift shop, which I had heard was wonderful. I did snap a few more photos before we left. I’m glad I have them to look back on, but nothing compares to seeing this breathtaking place in person.

More Photos From Our Visit To Kylemore Abbey

A Quiet Evening

It was a short 15-minute drive to Renvyle Beach Caravan and Camping where we’d be pitching our tent for the night. We got there well before dark, set up camp, and then went for a walkabout. We had the little private beach all to ourselves. There were a handful of other people staying, but we didn’t run into any of them.

We stayed out on the beach for an hour or so, soaking in the calm of the waves. Getting hungry, we ran into town, grabbed some dinner, and then decided to swing by Renvyle Castle. The sun was setting when we arrived and it wasn’t (and still isn’t, it looks like) open to the public, but it was neat to see anyway. I wish I’d have known then what I know now because I’d have spent more time there. Turns out, the most famous Irish Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley (Granuaile), sometimes stayed there with her husband when she wasn’t out to sea! Doing a bit of research for this blog, I JUST found that out. I read a really great book about her a few years ago, and man, I wish I would have known! It’s still cool, though, knowing I’ve stood where she once did, looking out over the same land to the sea that she once sailed.

Back at our campsite, we watched from the beach as the sun dip below the horizon. The night was getting chilly so we filled up our hot water bottles, slipped them into our sleeping bags with us, and closed our eyes on a spectacular day.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy