Monastic Sites
Discover Ireland's ancient monasteries and abbeys that shaped the spiritual landscape
Grean Monastery
Founded: 5th century
Order: Early Irish
Early monastic site, purportedly founded 5th century by St Patrick; monastic lands recorded as late as 1615
Great Connell Priory
Order: Augustinian Canons Regular
Augustinian Canons Regular dependent on Llanthony; founded 1202 by Meyler fitz Henry, Justiciar, buried here; dissolved 1540, before 24 November; granted to Edward Randolfe; granted to Sir Edward Butler; granted to…
Grellachdinach Priory
Founded: 1148
Order: Cistercian
Cistercian monks — from Mellifont founded 1148; dissolved 1155-6, transferred to Drumconaid, Bunfinny and Boyle; possibly located in County Roscommon
Grey Abbey
Order: Cistercian monks
Cistercian monks — from Holmcultram founded 25 August 1193 by Africa, wife of John de Courcy; dissolved 1 February 1541; granted to English colonists by Elizabeth I; burnt by Sir Brian O’Neill 1572…
Hare Island Priory
Founded: before 542
Order: Augustinian
Early monastic site, founded before 542 by St Ciaran of Clonmacnois; Augustinian Canons Regular founded after 1140?; cell dependent on Saints’ Island? from before 1259?; dissolved before 1500?, probably abandoned…
Holmpatrick Priory, Skerries
Order: Augustinian Canons Regular
Augustinian Canons Regular — from St Patrick’s Island founded 1220; dissolved 1557; granted to Thomas FitzWilliams 1578; site now occupied by C.I. church
Holy Cross Abbey
Founded: 1169
Order: Benedictine
Early monastic site, purportedly hermit monks in the woods; Benedictine monks? possibly founded 1169? by Donal (Mor) O’Brien, King of Limerick; Cistercian monks — from Monasteranenagh founded 1180; subject to…
Holywood Priory
Order: Franciscan Friars
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular built on site of Ard-mic-nascai Monastery (v. supra); Holywood (Ard Mhic Nasca in Irish) was named Sanctus Boscus by the Normans after the woodland surrounding…
Hore Abbey
Founded: 1272
Order: Cistercian
Cistercian monks — from Mellifont refounded 1272 by David Mac Carwill, Archbishop of Cashel; dissolved 1540, surrendered by Abbot Patrick Stackbold; leased to Sir Henry Radcliffe 1561