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The Cistercian Monasteries in the Cashel and Emly were Holycross, Kilcooly, Abington and Hore. Remnants of all but Abington exist, Holycross Abbey being in use as the parish church
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There are no Cistercian houses in the Archdiocese at present, Mount Saint Joseph Abbey in County Offaly and Mount Melleray in County Waterford are the closest current houses. There were strong connections between the Archdiocese and the Order in the past - four successive Archbishops of Cashel between 1182 and 1237 were Cistercians. Archbishop Donnchadh Ó Lonnargáin took ill while on a journey to Rome and became a Cistercian monk at Citeaux before returning home. Pope Honorius III indicated the suitability of the two offices in a letter to the people of Cashel (3 August 1220), stating that the Archbishop had now "the habit of a monk and the dignity of a pontiff." David MacCearbhaill, having been Archbishop for fifteen years, became a Cistercian in 1269, and continued his administration of the diocese for a further twenty years. The following table lists the Cistercian Foundations in the Archdiocese, giving their Latin names, dates of foundation, mother house and the modern parish. |
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| Holycross | Sancta Crux | The Holy Cross | 1180 | Monasteranenagh | Holycross and Ballycahill | ||||||||||||
| Kilcooly | Arvus Campus | The Arable Plain | 1184 | Jerpoint | Gortnahoe and Glengoole | ||||||||||||
| Abington | Woneyum | 1205 | Furness | Murroe and Boher | |||||||||||||
| Hore | de Rupe/ Rupes Caseliæ | of the Rock (of Cashel) | 1272 | Mellifont | Cashel and Rosegreen | ||||||||||||
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Areas of the archdiocese which were under the control of the Earl of Ormond enjoyed security and prosperity during the fifteenth century. Holycross, Kilcooly and Hore monasteries thus benefitted. James, the fourth Earl of Ormond (1405-1452) was a powerful figure of his day. As well as being lord-lieutenant and justiciar, he travelled widely, taking part in Henry V's French wars. His patronage of Holycross enhanced its status considerably. This Abbey was distinguished among Irish Cistercian houses in that it was a place of pilgrimage, having a Relic of the True Cross. ¦ Top of Page
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Holy Cross Abbey |
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There were monks in Uachtar-Lamhan (the ancient Celtic name for Holy Cross) before the Cistercians came from Monasteranenagh, (Croom) County Limerick. |
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Chronology |
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| 1180 | Dónal Mór Ua'Briain endowed the abbey 'in honour of the Almighty God, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Benedict and the Holy Cross' | ||||||||||||||||
| 1400 - 50 | Extensive reconstruction of the church and abbey | ||||||||||||||||
| 1563 | Abbey and possessions granted to Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, by Queen Elizabeth I. Some monks remained and pilgrimages continued | ||||||||||||||||
| 1583 | Dermot O'Hurley, Archbishop of Cashel and martyr for the faith, visited the abbey as a pilgrim | ||||||||||||||||
| 1600 | January, O'Neill of Ulster visited the abbey. November, Hugh O'Donnell was at the abbey | ||||||||||||||||
| 1640 | Brother John (Malachy Harty) compiled chronicle of the abbey ('Triumphalia Chronologica' or Triumphant History of Holy Cross) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1740 | Last Cistercian monk of Holy Cross died | ||||||||||||||||
| 1880 | Abbey church vested in the State as a National Monument | ||||||||||||||||
| 1969 | Act of Oireachtas passed enabling the Abbey church to be restored and used as a parish church | ||||||||||||||||
| 1970 | Archaeological excavation of church site | ||||||||||||||||
| 1971 | Restoration of church commenced | ||||||||||||||||
| In 1621, Luke Archer, Abbot of Holy Cross, was acknowledged as having the right to appoint to priests to parish of Holy Cross. This right appears to have persisted until 1704 with appointments being made by the Archbishop from 1752. Archer appointed the Cistercian John O'Dea as Parish Priest of Holy Cross about 1623. O'Dea, formerly a secular priest, later became Abbot of Corcomroe (Burren) about 1628. | |||||||||||||||||
ArchitectureThe carving of the local blue-grey limestone retains much of its original detail. The sedilia is of particular interest and the shrine (reliquary) provides a unique feature to the interior stone-work. The great variety of carved windows may be ascribed to the lack of coordination and to the erratic progress of the building projects.¦ Top of Page
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Kilcooly Abbey |
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Chronology |
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| 1184 | Founded under the patronage of Dónal Mór Ua'Briain, King of Thomond by monks from Jerpoint | ||||||||||||||||
| 1418 | Burnt | ||||||||||||||||
| 1445 | Burnt by armed men | ||||||||||||||||
| 1540 | Dissolved and property transferred to James Butler, Earl of Ormond | ||||||||||||||||
| 1640 | Brief Cistercian reoccupation? | ||||||||||||||||
| 1840 | Sir William Barker built a summer-house in the ruin which was later used as a residence | ||||||||||||||||
Architecture
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Hore Abbey |
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Chronology |
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| 1269 | Archbishop David MacCearbhaill made profession of the Cistercian rule though remaining as Archbishop of Cashel | ||||||||||||||||
| 1270- | Founded from Mellifont. The last Cistercian foundation in Ireland before the dissolution of the monasteries | ||||||||||||||||
| 1540 | Dissolved and property transferred to James
Butler, Earl of Ormond
Monks continues to serve the local parish |
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| Occupied as private dwellings | |||||||||||||||||
| 1561 | Lands granted by Elizabeth I to Sir Henry Radcliffe | ||||||||||||||||
Architecture Hore Abbey is distinctive among Irish Cistercian monasteries in that the cloister lies to the north. The siting of the Abbey, with the Rock of Cashel close by to the north, may explain this departure from the usual arrangement. ¦ Top of Page
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Abington |
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Known variously as Mainistir Uaithne, Abbey Owney, Woney and Owney. This monastery was on the banks of the Mulcair River. One of the major Anglo-Norman houses of its time, nothing remains. |
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Chronology |
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| 1205 | Founded from Furness (Lancashire) by monks who had been briefly in Wyresdale (Lancashire) and Arklow. Under the patronage of Theobald Walter, brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||
| 1206 | Theobald Walter buried at the Abbey | ||||||||||||||||
| 1540 | Abbot John O'Mulryan briefly frustrated avoided the dissolution of the Abbey by having it established as secular college of which he was provost. | ||||||||||||||||
| 1548 | Attacked and burnt by the O'Carrolls | ||||||||||||||||
| 1647 | Buildings burnt in Cromwellian wars | ||||||||||||||||
| 1700 | Buildings destroyed | ||||||||||||||||
ArchitectureThomas Dinley's illustration of 1681 shows the 'Early English' architecture of the Abbey. Nothing remains of the buildings. |
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