Kylemore has been very busy over the last month, with visitors from all over the world coming to enjoy the estate. The Garden is in full bloom and looking it's very best. With just a little time left before schools and colleges start to reopen, be sure to keep us in mind for those precious final family days out of the summer. Catch up here, with our latest news and events and we hope that where ever you are, you enjoy the last hazy, lazy days of summer!

Half Day Closure of the Abbey Building

We regret to inform you that it will be necessary to close the Abbey building at Kylemore Abbey & Garden for an important Community event on Thursday 25th from 12 noon until late. We would like to assure you that this is an exceptional occurrence and we would very much appreciate your understanding. The rest of the Estate, Victorian Walled Garden, Gothic Church, Mausoleum, Restaurant, Craft Shop and Tea House will be open as normal. In appreciation of the disappointment that the temporary closure may cause, we will waive entrance fees for visitors on the day. If you wish to experience the full visit to Kylemore including the Abbey, you may like to schedule for another day. We apologize for the inconvenience and please feel free to contact us at bookings@kylemoreabbey.com or by calling 095 52001

Garden Update

In the Walled Garden, the second potato harvest is already coming out of the ground with heritage varieties such as Dukes of York, Sharp's Express and Epicure doing very well. Our staff recently enjoyed one of the regular summer vegetable sales given by the gardeners with all of the proceeds raised going to the Galway Hospice .The poor weather this summer has not affected the display of flowers which is stunning, all over the Garden from the Parterre to the Rockery, to the formal flower beds and of course our Herbaceous Border which is one of the longest in Ireland. We have just updated and self guiding tour panels which guide you around the Garden and are full of lots of interesting historic and gardening information. Our next project will be a display highlighting the transformation of the Garden in the restoration years leading up to the reopening in the year 2000.
You can keep up to date with all the Garden News in our Head Gardener's Diary at http://www.kylemoreabbey.com/garden-diary-august-2016/

Blas na h'Éireann Finalists
We have just received news that five of our Kylemore Abbey products have reached the finals of the Blas na hÉireann, Irish Food Awards. The finalists are Kylemore Abbey Irish Country Cream, Kylemore Abbey Traditional Homemade Bakewell tart, Kylemore Abbey Brown Bread Baking Mix and the Honeycomb and Milk Chocolate Bar with Nuts which are both handmade by the Benedictine nuns.Now in its 9th year, Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards is the biggest competition for quality Irish produce ont he island of Ireland. Over 2500 products have been entered in tothe 2016 competition to compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in over 100 food and drink categories. Winners of the awards are to be announced in Dingle on Saturday 1st of October so we look forward to updating you with some good news then!

Online Shop Launch
Following the launch of our new website last month we have now also launched our up-dated online shop. While the new shop concentrates on all of our Kylemore Abbey favourites from jams, and chutneys to baking mixes and the chocolates and beauty products handmade by the Benedictine Nuns, we also have a selection of gifts from some of your favourite brands such as Galway Crystal, Alan Ardiff and Ulster Weavers. Our Connemara Gifts section features artisan gifts from local craft producers with beautiful ceramics, candles and textile art to choose from.The site features something for everyone with a great selection of new hampers and many other gift ideas. We are giving away a Kylemore Abbey 2017 calendar with every online purchase until the end of August. We hope you will love the new layout and be sure to go over to www.kylemoreabbey.com/shop for a browse.

Handmade beauty products by the Benedictine nuns, available in our new online shop.
Irish Harp in the neo-Gothic Church
Lynn Saoirse's, Irish Harp, performances in the Gothic Church which have been very warmly received will be coming to a close next Tuesday, the 30th of August. The performance will take place at 2 pm and it would be really worth attending. Sr.Noreen Gallagher,one of the Benedictine Community at Kylemore, took a little time out from her usual post of greeting visitors in the Abbey to attend last week's concert. The concert was very enjoyable for Sr.Noreen who taught the Irish Harp for many years at Kylemore Abbey girls's school. Sr.Noreen was also a very well loved French teacher for many years and she continues to keep in touch with pupils and visitors from all over the world. We would like to thank Lynn for her unfailing beautiful performances throughout the summer and hope she will be back to us again next year.

Sr.Noreen Gallagher and Lynn Saoirse with some young friends in the neo-Gothic Church