abbeys ireland

Loreto Abbey is the headquarters of the Loreto order of nuns in Ireland. It was here, in 1928, that a young Albanian novice, Agnes Bejaxhiu, came to learn English.
She left after a year to teach in a Loreto School in Calcutta, later becomng famous the world over as Mother Teresa. Email address is contactus@loreto.ie...

This Cistercian abbey was founded by the King of Limerick, Turlough O’Brien around the year 1150 and completed something like thirty years later. The Abbey has seen two battles within its walls. In the first the King of Thomond sought refuge from Brian O’Brian and Macnamaras in the monastery after his defeat in 1365. The second battle occurred during the Desmond rebellion of 1579. In it Sir John of Desmond was defeated by Sir Nicholas Malby, who fought for the English. Malby then turned his can...

Dating back to 1170 Dunbrody is an excellent example of a Cistercian Monastery in Ireland. It's located about 8 miles south of the County Wexford town of New Ross.
The site of the ruins of Dunbrody Castle now houses a craft shop with quality hand-made local crafts. There is a small museum within the tearooms with family information and a very large dolls house - a scale replica of the castle. There is a small pitch and putt course and a full size hedge maze - one of only two in Ireland...

A Cistercian Abbey built in 1200 AD. Currently under restoration. Founded by William the Earl Marshal, in fulfillment of his promise - made when on a stormy sea voyage - to do so if the Lord spared him....

Standing on an earlier monastic site founded by St. Cronan (of Tuamgraney?), the Church was granted to the Augustinian Canons of Clareabbey by Donal Mor O'Brien in 1189. The church, with its unusual east window with foliage decoration on the outside, probably dates to this period. By 1302 it had become a parish church. In the 15th century conventual buildings (of which parts remain), a sacristy and south transept were added. it was granted to Donogh, Earl of Thomond, in 1620. It is idyllica...

Fore, approximately 15 miles from Mullingar has the most extensive Benedictine remains in Ireland. It is the site of the ruins of St. Fechin's Monastery and was a Benedictine Priory until 1539 when it was suppressed by Henry VIII.

The present building belongs in the main to the 15th century. There are nine ancient crosses within a radius of a mile from the village. Near the foot of Ben Fore (713 feet) is a large moat, reputed to be an early Anglo-Norman Fortification. There are a...

Founded by the MacNamaras in the middle of the 14th century using some of the curtain wall of the Anglo Norman castle built around 1280 by Richard de Clare. The cloisters were erected in 1402 and remain one of the features of the abbey. The Franciscan friars came later in the century. The view from the top of the tower is quite spectacular. A caretaker is on the grounds full time and should be contacted before entering....

Founded by the Roche family for the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, the abbey was dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul in the 13th century. The surviving parts of the nave are 15th century, the tower is 14th century. Henry II is reputed to have done penance here for the murder of Thomas Beckett. The ruins are very attractive and there are some interesting old graveslabs in the grounds. Key at 9 Abbey Street....

Hill-walking has become a popular sport in Ireland, with thousands of people walking with dozens of clubs or in smaller groups. While vigorous, other aspects of mountaineering in Ireland such as rock-climbing and hill-running trail behind in numbers participating.
So why have so many people been inspired to take up hill-walking in Ireland? Well the fundamentals are the hills, the weather and access. The hills would be considered tiny in the context of many European areas let alone furthe...

St. Malachy of Armagh brought a handful of monks with him from Clairvaux and founded the first Irish Cistercian monastery here in 1142, on lands granted by Donogh O'Carroll, Prince of Uriel. St. Bernard of Clairvaux sent a skilful architect named Robert to help build the church, and this is reflected in the rounded chapels in the transepts - which are of Continental origin and which are some of the few remaining portions of the original church. In 1157 the church was consecrated with great pom...