This cave, in a pine forest about 1.5km west of Cong, can be reached via a signposted walking loop from the abbey. Steep, slippery stone steps lead down into the cave, where subterranean water flows in winter. Watch for the white trout of Cong – a mythical woman who turned into a fish to be with her drowned lover.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.58 MILES
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…
26.24 MILES
Immediately southeast of Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans 2000 dramatic hectares of bog, mountains, heath and woodlands.
21.56 MILES
Exhibits at this modern, three-floor museum engagingly convey the city's archaeological, political, cultural and social history. Look out for an iconic…
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14.94 MILES
Imposing Ballintubber Abbey is the only church in Ireland founded by an Irish king that remains in use. It's reputed to have been established in 1216 next…
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23.99 MILES
Photogenically perched on the shores of Pollacapall Lough, 4km east of Letterfrack, Kylemore is a crenellated 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy. It was…
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National Museum of Country Life
24.04 MILES
The extensive and engrossing displays of this riverside museum delve into Ireland's fascinating rural traditions and skills. It's set in a modern,…
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12.32 MILES
With towering walls engulfed in ivy and empty windows, Moore Hall is an astonishing and atmospheric ruin. Set beside Lough Carra, it was built in the…
21.55 MILES
The Spanish Arch is thought to be an extension of Galway's medieval city walls, designed to protect ships moored at the nearby quay while they unloaded…
Nearby County Mayo attractions
0.16 MILES
Just west of the village is the water-filled Captain Webb's Hole. Two centuries ago, a local villain, nicknamed Captain Webb for the deformity of his…
0.79 MILES
This small and roofless 16th-century monk's fishing house juts out into the River Cong just south of the bridge, designed so monks could haul their catch…
0.82 MILES
Modelled on Sean Thornton's White O' Morn' Cottage from The Quiet Man film, the museum offers a location tour – good for film fanatics and those with a…
0.86 MILES
The evocatively weathered shell of Cong's 12th-century Augustinian abbey is scored by a cross-hatch of lines from centuries of exposure to the elements…
0.95 MILES
Just beyond Cong Abbey, the village abruptly ends and the woodlands surrounding Ashford Castle begin. First built in 1228 as the seat of the de Burgo…
3.81 MILES
The largest island on Lough Corrib, Inchagoill lies about 5km offshore from the lake's edge, some 8km north of Oughterard. The island is a lonely place…
8.58 MILES
The 'Fighting O'Flahertys' were based at this superbly preserved 16th-century fortress 4km east of Oughterard. The clan controlled the region for hundreds…
9 MILES
These 19th-century mines 3km west of Oughterard yielded silver, lead and glistening quartz. As well as marvelling at some of the treasures unearthed,…