river in front of a cottage in a woodland and a mountain in background

Things to Do in Connemara & Local Area

Kylemore Abbey is located in one of Ireland’s most unique landscapes – Connemara. Described by Oscar Wilde as “a savage beauty”, it is a region of awe-inspiring, unspoilt, and natural beauty. Its patchwork of lakes, rugged mountains, and windswept bogs certainly gives a sense of splendid isolation. The raw beauty, sweeping vistas and constantly changing moods of the Connemara landscape have captured the hearts and minds of generations of artists, writers, and musicians. Its proximity to the Atlantic coastline is what supplies the region with its ever-changing weather which brings to life the vivid colours of the landscape. It also ideally situates Connemara as a key feature of the Wild Atlantic Way, the world’s longest coastal route.

Indeed, it is this beauty which first attracted Mitchell and Margaret Henry to choose Connemara as the location for their honeymoon in the 1850s. Spellbound by the beauty of Connemara, Margaret Henry fell in love with Things to Do in Connemara and particularly the area known as ‘Kylemore’. The time Mitchell and Margaret spent together made a lasting impression on their hearts. Years later when Mitchell inherited a fortune from his father, he returned to Kylemore, purchased 15,000 acres and built the magnificent fairy-tale castle as a romantic gift for his wife Margaret.

If you would like to visit us and have a wonderful tour in Connemara please click here for more information.

Letterfrack

Private Hikes in Connemara at Kylemore Abbey

Letterfrack, 5 km beyond Kylemore, is an enchanting village on Barnaderg Bay, which was founded by the Society of Friends (the Quakers) in the 19th century as one of a series of mission settlements along the north Connemara coast. Letterfrack is home to the Connemara National Park which encompasses thousands of acres of Blanket Bog. The Park’s Visitor Centre is located just outside of Letterfrack village on the Clifden Road. Along with a visit to Kylemore Abbey, to climb the Diamond Hill in Letterfrack is one of the ‘must do’ items on your trip to Connemara. The National Park is adjacent to Kylemore and as you look across the lake from the Abbey you are gazing into Connemara National Park.

Letterfrack is home to a number of small but engaging and creative community festivals during the year organised by the?Connemara Environmental Education and Cultural Centre. To find out more about Bog Week, Sea Week, The Poetry Trail and “After the Light” Festival of light visit https://conamaraseaweek.ie/ As part of these festivals wonderful musical performances are hosted in our neo-Gothic church at Kylemore, so watch our events page for updates. While in the village it is a good idea to pop into the ‘Connemara West’ building and visit the permanent exhibition by the renowned Furniture Design and Restoration College based in Letterfrack. A part of the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, this college has become a flagship for rural development and design innovation. The Play Trail here at Kylemore was designed and built by students of the College.

Renvyle

There is an abundance of beautiful beaches and magnificent scenery including archaeological site Grainne Mhaol Castle. Visitors can also enjoy a delicious meal in Tullycross village while soaking up the local entertainment and music. During the Summer months, you can attend a Seisiun in Renvyle Teach Ceol where guests can experience an Irish trad session or watch a play hosted by Curlew Theatre Company. A wide variety of accommodation exists from small and cosy B&B's to the historic Renvyle House Hotel where many famed Irish poets and artists stayed over the years.

Clifden

Clifden Connemara is generally regarded as the ‘Capital of Connemara’. Perched above an inlet of Ardbear Bay, with an almost Alpine setting and nestling on the edge of the Atlantic, with a magnificent background of mountains. It is an ideal holiday centre and base for touring the wonderful countryside of Connemara. Visit the Derrygimlagh Looped Walk just outside of Clifden to see the landing site of Alcock and Brown, the first ever successful transatlantic flight which crash-landed there in 1919, And to walk among the remains of the site created by Giuglio Marconi which was used to transmit the first ever transatlantic radio signals from this remote site to Novia Scotia in the early part of the Century. The town hosts the world famous ‘Connemara Pony Show’ every August as well as the invigorating Clifden International Arts Festival in late September. To find out more visit the Clifden Chamber of Commerce Website www.connemarachamber.ie

Leenane Connemara

Leenane Connemara is a tiny and picturesque village at the mouth of the Killary Fjiord, just a few miles from Kylemore on the Westport road, many will recognize the village as the location for Jim Sheridan’s “The Field”. Its location is truly stunning and the village itself is charming and welcoming with a variety of places to eat and stay. The Sheep and Wool centre in Leenane village is well worth a visit and tells the story of Leenane’s strong historic connection with the local woollen industry. The Killary Cruiser provides a comfortable and accessible way to visit Ireland’s only true Fjord and if you have little ones in tow don’t miss The Killary Sheep Farm’ or the equally charming www.joycecountrysheepdogs.ie