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Extra.ie
19-06-2025
- General
- Extra.ie
Divine intervention! Galway Monastery wins prestigious architecture prize
Many prayers were answered yesterday when a stunning Connemara monastery was named as the public's choice of architectural design of the year. With 14,000 votes cast in total, the Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey emerged as the winner in the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland's prestigious 2025 Public Choice Award. The building, which officially opened last year, is nestled on the edge of Pollacappul Lough, beneath Dúchruach Mountain. It was said that 'the new monastery harmoniously integrates with its dramatic surroundings'. Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey. Pic: Peter Molloy The judging panel added: 'Drawing on monastic traditions, the design evolves from a central garth and cloister, unfolding into a series of brick volumes of varying height and scale. The result is a serene and timeless structure that quietly complements its landscape through sensitive consideration of context, scale, materiality, and visual harmony.' Kylemore Abbey executive Conor Coyne said: 'We are delighted. The award's going to Axo Architects who are a Mayobased firm and we are the client.' He added: 'It's the culmination of a long-term vision for the Benedictine Community at Kylemore Abbey who are 100 years in Connemara but this is the first time they've had a purpose-built monastery where they can continue to live their monastic vocation.' The Abbey, which includes a residential retreat centre, received no State funding, but the money was raised from donors, benefactors and thousands of tourists who visit every year. Arklow Water Treatment Plant. Pic: Johan Dehlin The runner-up was the Arklow Built to win: The Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant and, right, Scoil Naomh Bríd Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was praised as 'a pioneering piece of civic infrastructure that embodies public good'. In third place came the 12-classroom building at Scoil Naomh Bríd, Culleens in Ballina, Co. Mayo, which is 'filled with daylight, delight, colour, and joy', serving 330 children.
Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Mayo architects who designed new €10m Kylemore Abbey monastery win major award
Axo Architects, who designed the €10 million Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey, came ahead of 47 other designs to win the much sought-after award. Located by Pollacappul Lough, beneath Duchruach Mountain and near the historic Kylemore Abbey in west Connemera, County Galway, the new monastery evolves from a central garth and cloister, unfolding into a series of brick volumes of varying height and scale. 'The result is a serene and timeless structure that quietly complements its landscape through sensitive consideration of context, scale, materiality, and visual harmony,' read a citation from the RIAI. Headed by Westport native Michael Horan, Axo Architects also designed the Kylemore Interpretation project, which was constructed by Galway-based firm, Carey Building Contractors. This saw the interior of the abbey redesigned and landscaping works undertaken outside building to enhance the visitor experience. 'We wanted the building, when we designed it, to be understated, to takes its rightful place in the estate but without dominating and without wanting to be brash,' Mr Horan told the Irish Independent shortly after the monastery was named winner of the RIAI Public Choice Award. A community of 15 Benedictine nuns moved into the new monastery at Kylemore Abbey last year, more than 350 years after their order was founded in the Belgium town of Ypres, where the nuns were known as 'the Irish Dames'. Today, Kylemore Abbey is one of the top visitor attractions in Connemara. Located 15.5 kilometres from Leenane in County Mayo, the abbey draws an estimated 500,000 visitors to the region annually and employs up to 150 people at the peak of the tourist season. Built as a castle in 1871 by English industrialist and MP for County Galway, Mitchell Henry, the Benedictine nuns moved into the building in 1920 after fleeing from Belgium to Connemara during the First World War. Three years later, they founded the renowned Kylemore Abbey all-girls boarding school, which closed in 2010. Their new home, which is one of the only working monasteries left in the country, was designed to keep the nuns at the centre of Kylemore Abbey while affording them privacy and silence. Previous the nuns lived in a farmhouse where the nuns were 'living on top of each other' and unable to have processions. Their new monastery was officially opened and blessed last year by Archbishop Francis Duffy, who described it as 'very rare event in Ireland and perhaps in western Europe'. The monastery was built with the same type of pale-coloured bricks used to construct the mausoleum at Kylemore. It is the final resting place of Mitchell Henry's wife, Margaret, who died on a family holiday to Egypt in 1874. Describing the RIAI Public Choice Award as a 'huge' achievement, Michael Horan thanked all those who voted for the new monastery and all his staff, both past and present, for their work on the project. The Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant finished in second place in the RIAI Public Choice Awards, which saw approximately 14,000 votes cast by the public. The 12-classroom building at Scoil Naomh Bríd in Culleens, Ballina, designed by Simon J Kelly Architects, secured third place while the Dún Laoghaire Baths finished fourth. RIAI President, Seán Mahon FRIAI, said: 'This year's Public Choice Award winner is a remarkable example of how thoughtful, context-sensitive architecture can enhance both place and purpose. The new monastery at Kylemore Abbey demonstrates a deep understanding of heritage, landscape, and community, creating a space that feels both grounded in tradition and relevant to the present. We are thrilled to see the public recognise and celebrate architecture that enriches lives and contributes meaningfully to a much-loved natural landscape and environment.' This year, the RIAI Irish Architecture Awards received 124 entries, with 48 projects shortlisted for the Public Choice Award — 21 from Dublin, 20 from regional Ireland, and six international projects by Irish architects. The RIAI Irish Architecture Awards will take place tomorrow evening at the Merrion Cricket Pavilion – itself an award-winning building by TAKA Architects – where the full list of winners across all categories will be announced.
Irish Times
18-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Benedictine monastery at Kylemore Abbey voted Ireland's favourite building at RIAI awards
The Benedictine monastery at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara , Co Galway , has been voted as Ireland's favourite building as part of this year's Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) awards. The monastery, designed by Mayo -based architect Michael Horan of Axo Architects, topped the ballot in the public choice category, for which 14,000 votes were cast. The monastery ' is a remarkable example of how thoughtful, context-sensitive architecture can enhance both place and purpose', said RIAI president Seán Mahon. '[It] demonstrates a deep understanding of heritage, landscape, and community, creating a space that feels both grounded in tradition and relevant to the present. READ MORE Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey. Photograph: Peter Molloy Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey. Photograph: Peter Molloy Benedictine Monastery at Kylemore Abbey. Photograph: Peter Molloy 'We are thrilled to see the public recognise and celebrate architecture that enriches lives and contributes meaningfully to a much loved natural landscape and environment.' On the edge of Pollacappul Lough, beneath the Duchruach Mountain and close to Kylemore Abbey, the new monastery 'harmoniously integrates with its dramatic surroundings', the RIAI said. 'Drawing on monastic traditions, the design evolves from a central garth and cloister, unfolding into a series of brick volumes of varying height and scale. The result is a serene and timeless structure that quietly complements its landscape through sensitive consideration of context, scale, materiality and visual harmony.' The monastery took first place out of 48 shortlisted projects with the Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant in Co Wicklow by Clancy Moore Architects in collaboration with Ayesha Engineers coming second. Scoil Naomh Bríd in Culleens, Ballina, Co Mayo, by SJK Architects took third place. The Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant is described by the RIAI as 'a pioneering piece of civic infrastructure that embodies public good', while it says the 12-classroom building at Scoil Naomh Bríd is 'filled with daylight, delight, colour and joy'. The redevelopment of the Dún Laoghaire Baths in south Co Dublin by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council architects and A2 Architects, which opened up a 400m stretch of coastline, came in fourth. The RIAI's awards ceremony will take place on Thursday evening at the Merrion Cricket Pavilion on Anglesea Road, Dublin 4, where the full list of winners from all categories will be announced. Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant Scoil Naomh Bríd, Culleens Scoil Naomh Bríd, Culleens Scoil Naomh Bríd, Culleens Scoil Naomh Bríd, Culleens
