Kylemore Abbey has an exciting line-up for Heritage Week next week, including the unveiling of a new display of the ceremonial parliamentary robes and coronet of the Duke of Manchester, a former owner of the abbey.
Kylemore is hosting four events during Heritage Week, two at the abbey itself and two online talks on its history. The popular tourist attraction has also launched an app which will allow visitors to explore the rich history of the abbey and discover its treasures.
Kylemore will hold an in-person event on Saturday August 24 and Sunday August 25 at 1pm, which will see the unveiling of the Duke of Manchester’s ceremonial robes and coronet in the abbey’s main hall, where they will be on permanent display. Lord Nicholas James Hodgkinson Montagu, the heir to the dukedom of Manchester, has donated these family heirlooms to Kylemore Abbey, where they will help bring to life the colourful and intriguing stories surrounding the 9th Duke of Manchester and his wife Helena (née Zimmerman ), who were the owners of the Kylemore Estate between 1903 and 1913.
With onsite talks on both days, visitors can learn interesting facts about the Duke and Duchess of Manchester and the robes and coronet that the Duke wore for King Edward VII’s coronation in 1902.
“We are delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase the coronation robes and crown of the nineth Duke of Manchester, William Angus Drogo Montagu,” said Conor Coyne, Kylemore Abbey’s CEO. “We would like to pay special homage to the Duke’s descendant, Lord Nicolas Hodgkinson Montague for trusting us with his ancestors’ robes, and to The Heritage Council for facilitating the funding for a special case to display the robes and coronet. It’s exciting but also very important to Kylemore, to preserve our connections with previous generations of the estate.”
All Heritage Week events at Kylemore will be led by expert history guides Gerrit Nuckton and Anne Burke, who will immerse you in the fascinating stories woven into Kylemore’s legacy.
The digital events can be accessed via The Heritage Week website www.heritageweek.ie, and include a step-by-step video guide to the newly launched free app.
The Inspiring Women of Kylemore is a digital talk on how women such as Margaret Henry — wife of Mitchell Henry, who built Kylemore as a token of his love for her — along with the Duchess of Manchester and the Benedictine Nuns shaped the creation and evolution of Kylemore.
In Guess Who Came to Dinner, the history guides will reveal the many esteemed guests who enjoyed the hospitality of Kylemore Abbey, which over the years welcomed figures like Lady Augusta Gregory and Thomas McLaughlin, one of the key figures behind the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme.
Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden is open from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week. To find out more about the Heritage Week events at Kylemore see www.heritageweek.ie or www.kylemoreabbey.com
