Cahir Abbey

Priory of St. Mary in Cahir

Mainistir Chathair Dún Iascaigh
Ruins of the abbey church
Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Other names	Cathair-duine-iascaid; Cahir-Dunesk; Cayrdunheach; Chaier; Kaherdunesche; Catherdunesque
Order	Augustinian
Established	late 12th century AD
Disestablished	1540
Diocese	Waterford and Lismore
People
Founder(s)	Galfrid de Camville
Architecture
Status	ruined
Style	Late Gothic
Site
Location	Abbey Street, Cahir, County Tipperary
Coordinates	52°22′46.279″N 7°55′42.049″W
Public access	yes
National monument of Ireland
Official name	Cahir Abbey Priory (Augustinian)[1]
Reference no.	595

The Priory of St. Mary in Cahir, known as Cahir Abbey, was a medieval priory of Augustinian Canons regular and is a National Monument located in Cahir, Ireland.[2][3][4]

Location

Cahir Abbey is located 600 metres (660 yd) north of Cahir Castle, on the west bank of the River Suir.[5][6][7]

History

The priory was founded in the late 12th century AD. Galfrid de Camville, Anglo-Norman Baron of Cahir and Fedamore, made a grant to its hospital c. 1200.[8][9][10]

St Mary’s priory is a multi phased, with evidence of the original 13th century buildings and further alterations and additions in the 15th and 16th/17th centuries.^[citation needed]

The priory was dissolved in 1540 and surrendered by prior Edmond O'Lonergan; the church, parochial and conventual buildings were occupied by Sir Thomas Butler by January 1541. The priory was alienated by William Hutchinson and Edward Walshe 1561 and granted to Edmond Butler in 1566.^[citation needed]

Buildings

The chancel of the church survives, with a row of windows in the north wall; also there are carved corbels and mouldings in limestone.

There is a residential tower, apparently seventeenth century in date, immediately west of the chancel.[11][12]

There are also a cloister and domestic buildings. Mason's marks are visible.[13][14]

• 
  Nave of the church, looking west
• 
  East window
• 
  A label stop of a hood mould
• 
  double piscina
• 
  A carved Celtic knot
• 
  tower at the south-east corner of the cloister which was erected after the priory was dissolved

References

1. "Journal of the Waterford & South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society". The Society. 27 August 2017 – via Google Books.
2. Edwin, Rae (4 June 2010). "Priory of St. Mary, Cahir, County Tipperary - Choir". hdl:2262/40020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. "Calendar of Entries in the Papal Register Relating to Great Britain and Ireland". 27 August 2017 – via Google Books.
4. "Díosbóireachtaí Párlaiminte: Tuairisc Oifigiúil". Cahill & Company, Limited. 27 August 1986 – via Google Books.
5. "Things to See in Cahir, County Tipperary, Ireland". www.visitcahir.ie.
6. "Gothic Past - Priory of St. Mary, Cahir, County Tipperary - Choir". gothicpast.com.
7. "Irish Economic and Social History". Economic and Social History Society of Ireland. 27 August 1995 – via Google Books.
8. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Ireland. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 1 October 2014. ISBN 9780241013496 – via Google Books.
9. "Cahir Abbey, Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ireland". www.dirl.com.
10. (Publisher.), Samuel LEIGH (27 August 2017). "Leigh's New Pocket Road-Book of Ireland ... on the plan of Reichard's Itineraries, etc. [Edited by C. C. Hamilton.]". S. Leigh – via Google Books.
11. "Cahir Abbey - Tipperary Town". www.tipperarytown.ie. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
12. Pilgrimagemedievalireland (27 April 2013). "St Mary's Priory Cahir".
13. McFadden, David (6 December 2016). An Innocent in Ireland: Curious Rambles and Singular Encounters. McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 9780771061387 – via Google Books.
14. Lehane, Brendan (27 August 2017). The Companion Guide to Ireland. Companion Guides. ISBN 9781900639347 – via Google Books.