Attraction · Co. Galway
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey in Connemara is a working Benedictine monastery and former castle on the N59. It offers ticketed gardens and castle tours, free shore views, and quiet church access near Letterfrack.
The lough
Lough Corrib (Loch Coirib in Irish) sits in western Ireland. The River Corrib, also called the Galway River, links the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the largest lake within the Republic of Ireland. On the island, it ranks second, behind Lough Neagh. The water covers 176 square kilometres. Most of it lies in County Galway. A small slice of the northeast corner touches County Mayo.
The lough defines the west. Galway sits at its mouth. The Corrib runs through the city. The Connemara country forms the head.
The first canal
The island's first canal was cut in the 12th century. Known as the Friar's Cut, it let boats move from Lough Corrib to the sea at Galway. This is the lough's oldest engineering. It marks where the river meets the lough at the city's edge. That connection is why the lough has served as a waterway since the middle ages.
Walk the Corrib from the city to the water. You'll pass the Cut and the bay beyond it.
The birds and the designation
Lough Corrib became a Ramsar site in June 1996. It is also a Special Area of Conservation. These titles protect the wetland, the waders, the waterfowl, and their breeding grounds. Birds winter in the lough. Morning light hits the water. Flocks gather on the shallows. It is the sight the coast is known for.
Placename lore says Loch Coirib is a corruption of Loch Oirbsean. It refers to the old water. The city carries the name from it.
Practical
Lough Corrib lies between Galway city and the Connemara country. The head is in the northwest. Shore walks run from the city to the lough's edge. Islands in the water make good days out.
It is open water. Check conditions before boating. The shore is rough underfoot in wet weather.