Great Value

Glenlo Abbey Hotel & Golf Resort

Galway city · Designed by Christy O'Connor Jr.

The Ffrench family — one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway, the Anglo-Norman merchant dynasties who dominated the city from the medieval period — acquired this Lough Corrib estate in the 16th century. They built the Georgian mansion house in 1740 and, in the 1790s, added the attached chapel that gives the estate its name. Despite looking and sounding monastic, Glenlo Abbey was never a monastery — it is a private family chapel, partially built and never consecrated, with a pipe organ originally from Westminster Abbey installed in the loft. The estate passed through the Blakes (another of the Tribes), then the Palmer family, before the Bourkes undertook a full restoration and opened it as a five-star hotel in 1992.

The golf course was designed by Christy O'Connor Jr. on the western shore of Lough Corrib — Ireland's largest lake within the Republic, 176 km² and 1,327 islands. Seven of the nine holes have a water hazard. The par-3 4th is the one that stays with visitors: it plays to an island green set out on the lough itself, with the full breadth of Corrib as backdrop and, most mornings, a pair of mute swans on the water.

The best reason to spend a day at Glenlo is the Pullman Restaurant: two restored Orient Express dining carriages sitting on a section of original track on the estate grounds. The older carriage, Leona, was built in 1927 and ran the original Orient Express routes to Istanbul, Monte Carlo, and St Petersburg. In 1974 it was a filming location for Sidney Lumet's Murder on the Orient Express. On 30 January 1965, it formed part of Winston Churchill's funeral cortege, transporting his body from Waterloo to Bladon. Both carriages were fully restored in 2025 and, in February 2026, the Pullman Restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star — one of only four in Connacht.

Inchagoill Island, accessible by a short boat cruise from the Corrib shore, has a 5th-century church associated with St Patrick and the Lugnaedon Stone — the oldest inscription in the Latin alphabet in Ireland. Galway city is five kilometres away.

Holes worth knowing

14th (par-3, ~200 yards) — the island green sits out on Lough Corrib itself. On calm mornings, with swans on the water and the Connemara hills framing the far shore, this is one of the most peaceful tee shots in Ireland. In wind, the lake takes no prisoners.

Highlights

Par-3 4th plays to island green on Lough Corrib
Ffrench family estate (Tribe of Galway) since 16th century
Pullman Orient Express Restaurant — Michelin star 2026
Churchill's funeral cortege carriage (1927 Leona) on site
5km from Galway city centre

Good to know

→Book the Pullman Restaurant for dinner after golf — reserve early as the Michelin star (awarded February 2026) has driven demand. The 1927 Leona carriage is the one to request: the original Orient Express routes, the Churchill cortege, the Lumet film.
→Inchagoill Island boat cruises leave from Oughterard or Cong and are worth a half-day: 5th-century church, the oldest Latin-alphabet inscription in Ireland, and excellent Corrib scenery. No crowds.
→Salthill is 10 minutes away — walk the promenade and kick the wall at the end (a Galway tradition since time immemorial). O'Connor's Famous Pub in Salthill (est. 1942) does trad sessions and was the setting for Ed Sheeran's "Galway Girl" video.
→The hotel is 5km from Galway city on the N59 Clifden road. The drive into Connemara from here is outstanding — Oughterard, Maam Cross, and the Twelve Bens are all accessible on a clear day.

Visitor Information

Getting There

1h drive

Common questions

What is the golf like at Glenlo Abbey?

Glenlo Abbey is a nine-hole parkland course within the historic estate on the western shore of Lough Corrib, just outside Galway city. The lake views are lovely throughout. Nine holes means it's more of a hotel add-on than a standalone golfing destination — best suited to guests who want a round as part of a Galway trip rather than making a special journey for the golf itself.

Is Glenlo Abbey good for a golf trip?

Glenlo Abbey suits a specific kind of trip: golfers who want to spend time in Galway city and want a hotel with a golf course rather than a dedicated golf resort. The course complements a Galway itinerary well. For serious golf, Connemara Golf Club is an hour west and Lahinch is an hour south via the N67 — both are much stronger golf destinations.

How do I book Glenlo Abbey golf?

Glenlo Abbey books through GolfNow. The hotel is now part of the Lakehouse brand and can be booked through their website.

What should I do in Galway city alongside golf at Glenlo Abbey?

Galway city has one of the best food and music scenes in Ireland — the Latin Quarter around Shop Street and Quay Street is the centre of it. The Galway Oyster Festival in September is one of the great Irish events. Kylemore Abbey in Connemara is forty-five minutes northwest. The Aran Islands ferry from Rossaveal is ninety minutes from Galway and worth a day if the weather is good.