the town of Cong straddles the Counties of Mayo and Galway, and is nestled between the Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. apparently it is known for the underground streams that connect the two, as well as for its fishing. the Abbey, the ruins of which are seen in the first photo, is reputed to be where Rory O’Connor, the last High King of Ireland, died.
nearby, squatting over the river, is the Monk’s Fishing Hut, seen in the second photo. there’s a gap in the floor, through which the monks could drop a net to snag some fish. it was built sometime inte 15th or 16th century.
there’s a stone bridge over the River Cong (just to the right of the hut), and above archways on either end are stone carvings, one of which is of Rory O’Connor.
on the western side of the river is a park with walking trails. very green and not unlike hiking trails you’d find along rivers in the back woods of Wisconsin. there were some interesting natural features, too, like the sink hole in the last picture. it went down about 10 feet, though i decided to keep my pants dry and not investigate. there were also ruins along the path — buildings of various sizes left to the ivy and other elements.