Applebys' travels: Tuesday June 18

owe drove to Kylemore Abbey. The Abbey was originally a castle built by Mitchell Henry, a Doctor, industrialist and Politician, as a gift for his wife in 1850. He was a forward thinker and technological pioneer. In 1893 he installed a hydroelectric generator to power lighting for the castle. The cost was paid off by savings on gas within a little over 5 years. The property changed hands several times before being bought by the Benedictines in 1920 to be used as an Abbey for Irish nuns who had to leave their abbey in Ypres because of WWI. It was then set up as an international boarding school for girls that ran from 1923 - 2010.
The old Church has columns made from coloured marble from each of the four provinces of Ireland, green from Connemara (Connacht), rose from Cork (Munster), black from Kilkenny (Leinster) and grey from Armagh (Ulster). Also, instead of snarling gargoyles the roof is decorated with smiling angels. Finally notice the stained glass windows have 5 graces, as well as the traditional Faith Hope and Charity, there's Fortitude and Chastity.
After leaving the Abbey we drove out to the coast to a little beach called Islands View near Renvyle. The sand was white and the water was a clear as crystal, but it was little too cold for a swim