Abbeyshrule Abbey

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeyshrule in colour

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeyshrule in colour from Longford Library Collection

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeyshrule in colour

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeyshrule in colour

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeyshrule in colour from Longford Library Collection

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Abbey Church of Abbeyshrule

Article about Abbey Church of Abbeyshrule taken from Ardagh & Clonmacnois Antiquarian Society, Vol. 2., No. 8 by Thomas Langan

Copyright managed by the Library Council

Abbey Church of Abbeyshrule
Copyright managed by the Library Council

Abbey Church of Abbeyshrule

Article about Abbey Church of Abbeyshrule taken from Ardagh & Clonmacnois Antiquarian Society, Vol. 2., No. 8 by Thomas Langan

Copyright managed by the Library Council

Enlarge image

Founded in 1150 and considered as the first Cistercian Abbey in the diocese of Ardagh and the fifth Cistercian foundation in Ireland.
 

The Cistercians were invited to Abbeyshrule by the head of the O'Farrell clan. They successfully integrated with the local community and greatly impacted on the quality of local life. They taught improved agricultural methods and constructed corn-mills along the rivers.
 

Abbeyshrule was one of the largest abbeys in Leinster. Rectangular in structure, it had a large number of cells, a chapel, sacristy, pantry, kitchens and refectory. Its situation on the banks of the Inny allowed for easy access to the islands of Lough Ree, Clonmacnois and the important town of Kilbixy.
 

The abbey flourished for over 250 years until it was burned by an invading English army in 1476. It was later restored but was surpressed in 1541 by Henry VIII. It was then leased to a succession of English settlers until 1595 when Red Hugh O'Donnell marched through Annaly and destroyed all properties occupied by the English.
 

While some of the monks remained in the district, efforts to restore the abbey were not successful.