Clare Island Abbey
| Mainistir Chliara | |||||||||
|
Abbey viewed from the northeast | |||||||||
  Location within Ireland | |||||||||
| Monastery information | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other names | St. Brigid's Abbey, Mainister-ni-clarch; Cliara; Cleara; Clara; Insula Maris; Oilen-ui-maile | ||||||||
| Order | Cistercians | ||||||||
| Established | 12th century | ||||||||
| Disestablished | 17th century | ||||||||
| Mother house | Knockmoy Abbey | ||||||||
| Diocese | Tuam | ||||||||
| Architecture | |||||||||
| Status | inactive | ||||||||
| Heritage designation |
| ||||||||
| Style | Cistercian | ||||||||
| Site | |||||||||
| Location | Lecarrow, Clare Island, County Mayo | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 53°47′36″N 9°59′21″W / 53.793229°N 9.989088°W | ||||||||
| Public access | yes | ||||||||
Clare Island Abbey, officially St. Brigid's Abbey, is a former Cistercian monastery and National Monument located in Clare Island, Ireland.[1][2]
Location
Clare Island Abbey is located in the centre of the south part of Clare Island, near the post office.[3]
History
Saint Bridget`s Abbey was founded in the 12th/13th century and in 1224 became a cell of Knockmoy Abbey, a Cistercian abbey near Tuam.
It was rebuilt c. 1460. It contains numerous tombs of the local ruling family, the Ó Máille (O'Malley) and tradition claims it as the site of the baptism, marriages and burial of Gráinne "Grace" O'Malley (c. 1530 – c. 1603), the famous "pirate queen." She is believed to have been interred at the O'Malley tomb which has a canopy.
The abbey was probably dissolved during the late 16th century. Later it was a place of refuge for Carmelite Friars.
Building
The abbey is furnished with piscina, sedilia, carved heads and ogee and cusp-headed lancet windows.[4] [5]
Clare Island Abbey contains a series of medieval wall and ceiling paintings. They depict mythical, human and animal figures including dragons, a cockerel, stags, men on foot and on horseback, a harper, birds and trees. Such ornamentation is unusual for a Cistercian foundation.[6]
References
- ↑ Davenport, Fionn (1 January 2010). "Ireland". Lonely Planet – via Google Books.
- ↑ Manning, Conleth; Cárthaigh, Críostóir Mac; Whelan, Kevin; Gosling, Paul; Waddell, John (1 January 2005). "New Survey of Clare Island: The Abbey". Royal Irish Academy – via Google Books.
- ↑ Duffy, Seán (15 January 2005). "Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia". Routledge – via Google Books.
- ↑ "History - Clare Island".
- ↑ "Heritage - Clare Island, Co. Mayo, Ireland".
- ↑ "Clare Island – The Abbey – 12th Century".