Originally built by the Norman knight de Burgo ,the area is dominated by Ashford Castle (the more recent home, fishing and shooting lodge of the Guinness family). At one time the estate covered nearly 30,000 acres and was renowned as the premier woodcock shoot in both Britain and Ireland. King George V came for three days in the early 1900's but ended up staying a month as he loved the people , hospitality and area so much.

The attractive village of Cong is no more than a five minute drive away and has all the necessities including some charming shops, food emporiums and cafes along with more than its fair share of characters. The Royal Abbey of Cong is also worth visiting as it is here that the last High King of Ireland died in 1198 (following eventual defeat at the hands of the Normans outside Dublin).

Clonbur (5 minutes in the opposite direction) lies in the heart of Joyce country and provides good restaurants and ameneties. Mount Gable lies just 2km to the west and is an easy climb of about one hour. On a fine day , It offers stunning views of Lough Corrib to the south and Lough Mask to the north.