Menlo

Fáilte go dtí Reilig Mhionlaigh ar bruach na Coiribe. The cemetery at Menlo overlooks Lough Corrib and provides a great view of it between the mature trees. It is indicated on 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map as an irregular unenclosed area (c. 45m by c. 25m). Since enlarged and enclosed: the earliest dated burials are of late 19th-C date. Surrounded by traditional stone walling in parts, the site is also a haven for wildlife and natural heritage. The preservation of biodiversity in fauna and flora is achieved by balanced grass cutting and careful woodland maintenance around the site.The ground was donated for use as a cemetery to the inhabitants of Menlo by the Blake family from Menlo Castle in the early 19th century. Some of the Blake family are buried alongside great local oarsmen and the great storyteller Tomás Leighléis a selection of whose stories were published by the Irish Folklore Commission.

This project was funded by the Heritage Council and Galway City Council as an action of the Galway City Heritage Plan. An information leaflet for Menlo can be downloaded below and printed copies are available from Dr. Jim Higgins, Heritage Office, City Hall, College Rd., Galway (091 536547).