Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey sits in an amazing location by the shores of Lough Pollacapall. It is also nestled on the foot of a hill making it a very attractive setting for a castle. Interestingly, Kylemore Abbey started out as a castle for a wealthy Londoner. It was completed in 1871 which makes it over a hundred years old. The place changed hands several times until the Irish Benedictine nuns purchased the property. It was a perfect setting for a monastery. Aside from operating a monastery, the nuns also operated a school here up until 2010. I wonder if it is possible to stay here. I think it has a beautiful setting that would be perfect for retreats.

The light was going out fast. The days were getting shorter so we don’t have much time to explore outside. We have even less time to explore inside. So we decided to go inside first. But before all that, I took a few shots of the abbey from the outside. It really looks like a castle and thought it was strange that it is actually a monastery. But now that I know the history behind it, it all makes sense now. The design is very similar to a lot of castles in Ireland I have seen. Some of them have been turned into hotels. But this one has been turned into a tourist attraction. It has turned into a profitable venture as it help fund the operations of the abbey including restoration of various parts of the estate.

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