Cong Abbey

Cong Abbey tickets: which one to buy

Cong Abbey stands in the village of Cong, on the border of County Mayo and County Galway, in the west of Ireland, beside the grounds of Ashford Castle, and entry is free. It is a picturesque ruin of an Augustinian abbey, set among trees beside the River Cong. The village of Cong is famous as the filming location of The Quiet Man, the 1952 film starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, and visitors can see the locations and a museum dedicated to the film.

Visitors often combine the abbey with a walk in the woods of Ashford Castle, the lakes of Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, and trips to Connemara. Cong is about an hour's drive from Galway. The abbey is open at all times, and a short walk through the grounds leads to the Monks' Fishing House on the river. Buses from Galway to Cong run a few times a day, and a car offers more flexibility.

Visiting Cong Abbey: what to see

An early Christian monastery was founded in Cong in the seventh century, and the present abbey was built in the twelfth century by Turlough O'Connor, King of Connacht and High King of Ireland, for the Augustinian canons. His son, Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, retired to the abbey and died there in 1198. The abbey was damaged in raids and dissolved in the sixteenth century, and its ruins were restored in the nineteenth century. The ruins include fine carved doorways and windows in the transitional Romanesque-Gothic style, the chapter house and the cloister, where some arches were reconstructed. The Cross of Cong, a magnificent reliquary cross made in the twelfth century, was kept here and is now displayed in the National Museum in Dublin.

The Monks' Fishing House, a small stone building over the river, has a trap door in the floor through which the monks caught fish. The abbey's doorways are carved with foliage and heads. The cloister's reconstructed arches show the elegance of the original design. The ruins include tombs of abbots and nobles. The chapter house has three windows in its east wall. The fishing house's stone walls are covered in moss. The river beside the abbey is clear and full of trout. Paths from the abbey lead through the woods to caves and a stone circle. The Quiet Man Museum, in the village, recreates the cottage from the film. The village's pubs offer Irish music in the evening.

Cong Abbey opening hours and the best time to go

The abbey can be visited at any time, and daylight is best for seeing the carvings. The west of Ireland's weather is mild but often rainy, and the woods and river are beautiful in all seasons. Summer brings many visitors, especially fans of The Quiet Man. Spring and autumn are quieter. Allow about half an hour for the abbey and the fishing house, and walk through the woods to Ashford Castle. Ashford Castle, a luxury hotel beside the abbey, has gardens and woodland walks open to visitors for a fee.