Here lies the remains of Margaret Henry 1829–1874 who died tragically while on holiday in Egypt just 4 years after the castle at Kylemore was constructed.
Her body was brought back to Kylemore by her husband Mitchell Henry.
Mitchell Henry 1826–1910, who built Kylemore Castle, died in England.
His ashes were brought back to Kylemore and laid to rest next to his beloved wife Margaret in accordance with his final wishes.
The remains of John Henry, a grandnephew of Mitchell Henry who died 13th February 1989, were laid to rest in the mausoleum.」
Common name – Wych Elm Botanical name – Ulmus glabra Irish name – Leamhán Sléibhe
Ireland is home to one species of elm, the Wych elm (Ulmus glabra).
The Irish name translates as mountain elm, as Wych elms prefer to grow on hillsides.
Elm trees have largely disappeared from the landscape since the 1960s due to Dutch Elm disease.
The elm bark beetle spreads a fungus that blocks the vessels transporting nutrients in the tree.Kylemore’s woodland is fortunate to have several healthy elms.
The timber of Wych elm is strong and water-resistant.
It was used for cabinet making, construction, boat-building, coffin manufacturing, and water pipes.Strips of the inner bark once made strong cordage and woven chair seats.
The foliage, rich in nutrients, has been used as fodder for livestock since the Neolithic times.」
While clearing invasive rhododendron, this once beautiful picturesque building was uncovered.It housed the pleasure boats of the Henrys and would originally have been used for fishing or recreational boating.
The Boathouse was built from locally quarried stone, finished with red brick and roofed with terracotta tiles.
A mountain stream was cleverly diverted to have continuous fresh water running through the boathouse to prevent algae growth.
The small lake in front of the boathouse acts as a “dripping pond” – these fill with heavy rainfall but dry up in sunny weather.
Common name – Rowan Botanical name – Sorbus aucuparia (bird catcher) Irish name – Caorthann
The rowan is sometimes called the mountain ash. But, despite a similar leaf shape, the rowan is not related to the ash.
The “mountain” part of the name is apt however, as the rowan is the only deciduous tree that can grow at high altitude (up to 900m) in the Irish landscape.
Because the rowan can grow in remote areas and bears bright red berries, it is a valuable food source for birds, especially migrating birds.
The rowan seed must pass through a bird or animal gut in order to germinate.
Rowan berries are too acidic and bitter to eat raw
but once boiled, the acid breaks down, and can be
used to make a delicious jelly rich in Vitamin C.」
The region is named after an ancient tribe: Conmhaicne Mara, the ‘Con Mhac’ of the sea. The Atlantic Ocean borders its jagged coastline; the land is rich in freshwater bodies and blessed with high annual rainfall.
Mountain lakes and streams feed into the three large lakes of Kylemore Valley. The largest lake is Kylemore Lake, followed by Pollacapall (the lake in front of Kylemore Abbey) and Lough Maladrolaun. The Victorian Walled Garden is irrigated by Lough Touther, situated just above the garden.
Lough Touther was used to generate electricity in Kylemore Castle in 1893. Engineers from J. G. Howell of London designed and installed the hydro-electrical system in a small powerhouse west of the castle. We hope to reinstate hydropower in the near future to harness sustainable green energy.」