Sunday 7th August 2016.....I have waited over 18 months for this.......

and you will have wait a few lines to find out what I am talking about.......after a nice breakfast on the road by 9.00 am and the weather was bleak...not actually raining but windy, cool and no blue sky to be found but as they say here "That is Ireland".

A good drive on the back roads which I always enjoy..

Finally a church that is not "old"..

This was an interesting place in a very isolated and dreary area...

My next stop was here...

Killary Harbour – Ireland’s only fjord

Killary Harbour is Ireland’s only true fjord and extends 16km (10 miles) in from the Atlantic to its head at Aasleagh, below Aasleagh falls. It forms the border between Galway and Mayo and boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the west of Ireland.

Killary Harbour is also extremely deep, over 45m at its centre. This offers a very safe, sheltered anchorage, because of the depth and the mountains to the south and north. It is a centre for shellfish farming, and strings of ropes used to grow mussels are visible for much of its length. Mussels and clams grown in Killary Harbour are sold at the Westport Country Market every Thursday morning.

To the north lies Mweelrea, the highest mountain in Connacht and County Mayo. To the south are the Twelve Bens and the Maumturk Mountains of Connemara. Majestic views greet the visitor from all directions.

Ok you have waited long enough here is the reason behind the heading to this post.....
My friend Larry often sends me e mails with amazing places around the world listed and he sent me this photo about 18 months ago...

I cannot explain what it was but before I even knew where it was I knew I needed to see this place and take my own photo and today I did just that!!!

Kylemore Castle was built as a private home for the family of Mitchell Henry, a wealthy doctor from London whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester, England. He moved to Ireland when he and his wife Margaret purchased the land around the Abbey. He became a politician, becoming an MP for County Galway from 1871 to 1885. The castle was designed byJames Franklin Fuller, aided by Ussher Roberts. Construction first began in 1867, and took one hundred men four years to complete. The castle covered approximately 40,000 square feet (3,700 m²) and had over seventy rooms with a principal wall that was two to three feet thick. The facade measures 142 feet (43 m) in width and is made of granite brought from Dalkey by sea toLetterfrack and from limestone brought from Ballinasloe. There were 33 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 sitting rooms, a ballroom, billiard room, library, study, school room, smoking room, gun room and various offices and domestic staff residences for the butler, cook, housekeeper and other servants. Other buildings include a Gothic cathedral and family mausoleum containing the bodies of Margaret Henry, Mitchell Henry and a great grand-nephew.

The Abbey remained in Henry's estate after he returned to England. The castle was sold to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester in 1909, who resided there for several years before being forced to sell the house and grounds because of gambling debts. In 1920, the Irish Benedictine Nuns purchased the Abbey castle and lands after they were forced to flee Ypres, Belgium during World War I. The nuns, who had been based in Ypres for several hundred years, had been bombed out of their Abbey during World War I. The nuns continued to offer education to Catholic girls, opening an international boarding school and establishing a day school for girls from the locality. The school acted as the main educator for most girls from Renvyle, Letterfrack and further afield for almost a century but it was forced to close in June 2010.^[1]

The Estate includes large walled Victorian Gardens. Since the 1970s these have been open for public tours and 'nature' walks. The Benedictine community has restored the Abbey's gardens and Cathedral with donations and local artisans in order to be a self-sustaining estate.

Here are my shots!!!!

What a peaceful and serene setting..thanks Larry!!!
A day is always better with a waterfall!!!

As I often mention ruins everywhere...

 This was a really quaint place spent a while wondering around in the rain!!

  I am way too young to remember this movie!!!

 Around 4.00pm arrived in this town where my home stay is located

 Another beautiful home and lovely hosts...

 I am staying here two nights here as I have a big hike planned for tomorrow...

This ovely pub is a two minute walk away and the roast beef dinner was one of the best I have had...

I have a nice sized TV in my room so this evening catching my first action from Rio!!!!!!

Yashi Kochi!!!!