The castle that became an Abbey - Kylemore, County Galway, Ireland
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382658)
Rockingham, Australia
April 22, 2023 11:52am CST
We recently visited Kylemore Abbey in Ireland. It was built as a castle in 1868 as a private home for the family of Mitchell Henry, a wealthy London doctor. He and his wife, Margaret, visited the area on their honeymoon and fell in love with the area.
The castle took 100 men four years to complete. There are 70 rooms with a principal wall of 3 to 4 feet thick. There were 33 bedrooms but only four bathrooms. The other rooms included a ballroom, 4 sitting rooms, gun room, billiard room, library, study and the list goes on.
After the death of Margaret, Henry built a Gothic church in her honour and they are both buried in a nearby mausoleum. A magnificent walled garden is also part of the estate.
The castle went on to have several more ‘lives’ which I’ll write about later. It is now a major tourist attraction and abbey run by Benedictine nuns.
The photo shows the castle/abbey from where we bought our entrance tickets.
12 people like this
11 responses
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
22 Apr 23
Oh Judy how many times have I seen this lovely place.
It is astounding isn't it?
You could be lost for years there.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
22 Apr 23
@JudyEv I had never been to the Abbey here but I meant I have seen it countless times in photos..where I spent the most time was in West of Ireland...Clare and Ennis mostly, a bit of Limerick and then Dubs and Wicklow all up and down the coast to Curracloe Beach..magnificent.
I also did walking and bus when I was only 14 yrs with a cousin..we went everywhere, just do not remember all the places Judy.
And of course with Mama RIP all everywhere..Killiney too oh and Skerries and so on..I am sure I am missing a lot.
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@JudyEv (382658)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Apr 23
@RebeccasFarm You must have some wonderful memories. Our son is taking us to Achill Island, probably on Thursday. I'm looking forward to that.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98127)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Apr 23
That is a very beautiful castle, I am always fascinated by castles and with so many rooms there have to be some spirits around, Someone could live in that castle and never have the need to go about again I mean with all those rooms ready for entertainment,
2 people like this
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
23 Apr 23
I think we can top the minimum number of bathrooms. If I remember right, the Midland Hotel at St Pancras, in London, None of the rooms have en-suite, as your servant was expected to do all the fetching and carrying of water, etc. It was built in the late Victorian era, so plumbing shouldn't have been a mystery!
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51839)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
22 Apr 23
Now, that's a house! Or maybe several. 
Lovely.
Lovely.2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222898)
• United States
29 Apr 23
That place is huge. 4 bathrooms? I'd never survive.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (15372)
• Hong Kong
23 Apr 23
That's a huge and beautiful castle. But a bit surprising that there are only four bathrooms.
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