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Maps |
Cong -
Clonbur |
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The village of Cong is
located on an isthmus between Lough Mask and Lough Corrib.
Cong is an excellent centre for the splendid fishing on both
lakes, and tennis and boating are also available.
Ashford Castle, a former residence of the Guinness
family, is now a hotel.
Among antiquities at Cong are an inscribed stone cross in
the village street. The ruins of an Augustinian abbey stand
close to Ashford castle.
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This abbey was founded
in 1128 probably on the site of a seventh-century settlement
of St Fechin. Here
Roderick O' Connor, the last High King of
Ireland, died in 1198 after spending the last fifteen years
of his life in monastic seclusion. The famous processional
Cross of Cong, now in the National Museum at Dublin, is a
masterpiece of religious art; it was discovered in a chest
in the village early in the last century. Made of oak plated
with copper, and decorated with beautiful gold filigree-work
of Celtic pattern, its function was to enshrine a portion of
the True Cross. It was made at Roscommon in 1123 for the
cathedral of Tuam, by order of Turlough O' Connor, and later
brought to Cong by his son Roderick. The famous film 'The
Quiet Man' was shot in the Cong countryside. The underground
stream connecting
Lough Corrib and
Lough Mask is accessible at a number of points, and the
descent to the 'Pigeon Hole' is particularly recommended.
Between Cong and the Neale lies the Plain of Southern
Moytura, a prehistoric battlefield where the legendary
Tuatha De Danann inflicted the first great defeat on the
Firbolgs. Seven years later the Firbolgs were completely
crushed at the Battle of Northern Moytura near Sligo. These
two battlefields have thrown much light on the history of
megalithic monuments.
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