Carey Building Contractors was selected by the Kylemore Trust, to construct a new Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey, Connemara. A purpose-built complex totalling 2,292m2. It was designed to provide new living spaces for 15 nuns, including individual ensuite bedrooms, a community room, refectory and cloister garden. Located within the Twelve Bens/Garraun SAC, the site was beside Pollacappul Lough and adjacent to the River Dawros. It is also situated within the curtilage of two protected structures: Kylemore Abbey and Kylemore Farmyard which altogether form an area of heritage, environmental and ecological importance.
The works involved:
- Developing a Tourism Impact Minimalisation Strategy which included specific works undertaken to minimise adverse impacts on the tourist experience of the Kylemore Estate.
- A comprehensive Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) was developed which guided all construction activities, ensuring that environmental impacts were effectively avoided, minimised, or mitigated throughout the project.
- The achievement of a significant level of detail in the brickwork coordination as well as experienced and skilled craftsmen.
- Installation of a specially commissioned peal of 5 bells in specific tones from a foundry in Poland.
Carey’s delivered a new Monastery that blended contemporary religious architecture with ecological sensitivity. Constructed within a protected heritage and natural site, the project met exacting standards in design, sustainability, and stakeholder collaboration—preserving the estate’s heritage while supporting its contemplative, environmental, and community-focused vision.
Completion Date: July 2024