Monastic Sites
Discover Ireland's ancient monasteries and abbeys that shaped the spiritual landscape
Abbeyderg Abbey
Founded: before 1216
Order: Augustinian
Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1216 (during the reign of King John) probably by Gormgall O’Quinn; raised to abbey status after 1487?; dissolved 1540; restored?, occupied by John O’Ferral, previously…
Abbeydorney Abbey
Order: Cistercian monks
Cistercian monks — from Monasteranenagh daughter house of Monasteranenagh; founded 1154 founder unknown – erroneously given as a Fitzmaurice; daughter house of Mellifont; daughter house of Monasteranenagh restored; dissolved 1537 (though last abbot…
Abbeygormacan Abbey
Order: Augustinian Canons Regular
Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1170?; dissolved 1543; granted to Ulick Bourke (William Ulick de Burgo Mac William), first Earl of Clanrickard (Clanricarde) 1543/1544, who probably did not evict the…
Abbeylara Abbey
Founded: c.1210
Order: Cistercian
Cistercian monks — from St Mary’s, Dublin founded c.1210 by Sir Richard Tuit; colonised 1214; dissolved 1540
Abbeyleix Abbey#
Order: Cistercian monks
Cistercian monks — from Baltinglass founded 1183 by Corcherger O’Moore (Cucogry O’More/Connor O’More); colonized from Baltinglass 7 September 1184 dissolved before 1552?; granted to Thomas, Earl of Ormond 1563
Abbeymahon Abbey
Order: Cistercian monks
Cistercian monks — from Baltinglass, County Wicklow; (community founded at Aghamanister 1172); transferred from Aghamanister before 1278; founded 1278 by Count McSheribay; jurors deemed the church to have been in…
Abbeyshrule Abbey
Founded: 1200
Order: Cistercian
Cistercian monks — from Mellifont founded 1200 by the O’Ferral family; affiliation changed to Bective 1228; dissolved 1569; suppressed by Queen Elizabeth, 1592; (NM)
Abbeystrowry Abbey
Order: Cistercian monks
Cistercian monks — from Abbeymahon founded after 1228 possibly restored as an abbey before 1281, and shortly failed; dissolved after 1281; cell of Abbeymahon from 1281; dissolved c.1541