Cong, County Mayo

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Cong
Conga or Cunga

Location

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
53°31′60″N 9°16′60″W / 53.5333, -9.2833

Irish grid reference
M150545

Statistics

Province:

Connacht

County:

County Galway and County Mayo

Elevation:

21 m

Population (2002)
- Town:
- Environs:

185
750

Cong (Conga in Irish, from Cúnga Fheichín meaning "Saint Feichin's narrows") is a village in County Galway and County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Lough Corrib, near the town of Ballinrobe and the villages of Neale and Cross.

Cong is known for its underground streams that connect Lough Corrib with Lough Mask to the north. It was also the home of Sir William Wilde, historian and father to prominent playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer, Oscar Wilde.

Cong's famous Ashford Castle

Cong is the home of Ashford Castle, one of Ireland's finest hotels, converted from a medieval lakeside castle, and a tourist attraction in its own right. Cong also has a fine example of a ruined medieval abbey, where Rory O'Connor, the last High King of Ireland, is reputed to have died. It also contains Celtic art in the form of a metal cross shrine called the Cross of Cong, which shows Viking influences. The "Cross of Cong" is now held in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.

The Cong Canal, also known as the "Dry Canal," was a failure, primarily due to its inability to hold water. Now used as a drainage channel only, the water level can vary between 6 inches and 12 feet depending on the time of year (summer dry, winter full). Built heritage features of the canal remain.

Cong was the filming location for John Ford's 1952 Oscar-winning film, The Quiet Man, featuring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Barry Fitzgerald. Much of the movie was filmed on the grounds of Ashford Castle. The town and castle area remain little changed since 1952, and Cong's connection with the movie make it a tourist attraction.

Roman Catholic records for Cong did not commence until 1870. Church of Ireland records from the 18th and 19th centuries have survived and are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre in nearby Ballinrobe.