Cong & Cong Abbey Located on the opposite side of Lough Corrib to Oughterard and is a 45 minute drive from Oughterard is a lovely village Cong - in Irish, Cunga, means "narrows" so called from its situation upon the isthmus that here divides Loch Mask from Loch Corrib, and also Cunga Fheichín, in remembrance of its patron saint - is an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides. There is water everywhere - gliding by in the broad river; gushing from the surrounding rocks; welling up in vast pools that supply several mills; oozing through the crevices of stones; rising in the interior of caverns; appearing and disappearing wherever its wayward nature wills; passing in and out everywhere, except where man tried to turn it - into the monster dry canal.

The village, which is approachable by four bridges, and occupies a small hill, is T-shaped, and consisted in 1861 of 88 houses, It is a market town, and was formerly a great milling depot; to which latter circumstance, and the patronage of the adjoining extensive ecclesiastical establishment, it no doubt owed its origin. As the tourist approaches it, a good view of the eastern end of its old abbey is presented; and, turning up by the main street, he has before him the ancient cross.

The Augustinian Abbey at Cong was founded in the early 12th century by Turlough O'Connor (High King of Ireland), was built on the site of a 6th century church associated with St. Feichín. It features some very fine examples of stone carvings, as well as a cloister.

The Abbey , which was endowed and supported by royal families of this era, is considered to be one of the finest examples of early architecture in Ireland, and it was here that Rory O' Connor , last high King of Ireland died and was buried in 1198 though is remains were later moved to Clonmacnoise.

The Abbey was suppressed in the reign of Henry VIII of England in 1542. It then fell into ruins but was later restored in 1850's by the direction of Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness , former owner of Ashford Castle.

The Abbey served many purposes including a hiding place for the O'Connor family, a hospital for the sick, shelter for the poor and starving as well as being a place of learning for thousands of scholars.