Kylemore Abbey is located in County Galway, near Clifden, in an area referred to as Connemara, in Ireland.
The abbey started out as a private residence, around 1868. However, in 1920 it was donated to the Benedictine nuns, who have since opened the house and grounds to the public (for a charge of course).
It has been a few months since I visited, but the story behind the house is that it was built by a married couple, as a sort of dream house. Unfortunately, the wife contracted, and died from a disease while visiting a foreign country (Africa, I think), and so the husband donated the Abbey to the nuns.
Kylemore Abbey is considered a "splendid example of neo-gothic architecture" (from one of the brochures I saved), and is a great place to go for a nice walk along a lake, and some very scenic pictures. The parking lot is situated across the lake from the Abbey, putting you in the perfect place to take a picture devoid of all annoyances, such as power lines, cars, and roads.
Besides being a great photo spot, the museum aspect of the abbey is interesting, also. There aren't too many rooms open to look at, but those that are are filled with artifacts and articles about the area, the abbey, the family who built it, and the nuns who moved there.