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Our roots

The village of Cong, County Mayo, Ireland (left). Cong, also known as the gateway to Connemara in County Mayo, is located between two lakes, Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. The Corrib, one of the largest lakes in Ireland, is made up of 365 islands. One of the most beautiful of these islands is Inchagoill, which contains 5th century Christian ruins. Cong is a town full of history. It is most well known as the setting for the 1951 film, "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Cong is also home to Ashford Castle, which was built in the 13th century and once home to the Guinness family.

Another site worth visiting is Cong Abbey, built in 1120 by the High King of Ireland, Turlach O'Connor. Other areas of interest near the village of Cong include: Ashford Castle (golfing, Corrib boat tours, Quiet Man tours by horse drawn carriage or walking), Cong village (Pigeon Hole Cave, Kelly's Cave, Cong Abbey, Quiet Man walking tours, Danagher's Restaurant and Pub, Pat Cohan’s Pub, Quiet Man Coffee Shop and more).

Surrounding sites, cities and towns within an hour's drive include Galway City, Westport, Achill Island, Connemara, Kylemore Abbey, and Clifden, just to name a few. A list of famous people that visited Cong includes: John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Oscar Wilde (lived near Cong), U2, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Brad Pitt, Pierce Brosnan, Tom Watson ... and many more.

Celtic Warrior Award