Ashford Castle.

The area around Ashford Castle was once the territoryof the O'Connor's they has several castles in Connaught, but their main castle was at Cong which is strategically located at the narrow junction of Lough Mask and Lough Corrib. The O'Connors held the castle until 1228 when they lost it to the Anglo Norman de Burgo's who built several castles in Connaught to consolidate their control of the area.

The de Burgo's held the castle until 1589 when they lost it to the English Lord Binghan, governor of Connaught, who anxious to retain control of it added some fortifications.

In 1715 the estate was owned by the wealthy Oranmore / Browne family who added an extravagant French style chateau.

By 1852 the estate had a new owner Benjamin Lee Guinness (1798-1868) grandson of Arthur the founder of the Guinness dynasty. Benjamin extended the estate to 26,000 acres, building new roads, planting thousands of trees and adding two large Victorian style extensions to the castle. After Benjamin's death in 1868 his son Lord Ardilaun 'Arthur Edward Guinness', continued his fathers work, particularly with regards to forestry, it was he who rebuilt the west wing of the castle the architect was Joseph Franklin Fuller.

In 1951 John Ford the distinguished American film director choose the town of Cong to shoot his film 'The Quiet Man' many of the stars John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Barry Fitzgerald and of course John Ford stayed in Ashford castle.