Ireland (Day Seven) - Kilmacduagh Abbey

Day seven in Ireland! This was on our way to our second to last place we were staying - Drumhierney Lodge in Leitrim. This place was very nice and we probably got our most relaxing done here. It was our last major place to stay, as after this we would be staying one night in a place right outside of Dublin to make it to the airport. 

On the way to Drumhierney Lodge, and the only thing featured in this blog, we saw Kilmacduagh Abbey. It popped up on the side of the road, so we pulled over and walked the grounds. 

Kilmacduagh Abbey was established in the 7th century, run by bishop and saint, Colman. 

There are two different stories about the founding of the abbey. One of them tells about a holy man that was sent there by an angel to heal a dying king. The other tells of the above mentioned - Saint Colman walking through the forest and having his girdle drop at this spot, which was interpreted as a sign to place the monastery there. (On a side note, this girdle was supposedly used to determine chastity, as it was said that the girdle would not fit the wearer if the person was unchaste)! 

Regardless of what the true origin of the abbey's location is, the fact that the monastery sits on the border between County Clare and County Galway meant that the kingdoms could offset neighboring raids by having holy land between each other. This did not completely stop warfare however, and an important battle even took place here in 1201 between rival kingships. 

The abbey continued to operate through the centuries and even attained bishopric status (meaning it contained the seat of a local catholic bishop). This meant that there was political and religious power at this location and the monastery became important to local clans who had claims to the land that it was on. 

During this time, the church and buildings had extensive renovations and upkeep done to them; likewise, the abbey was productive in grown and manufactured materials and religious learning, up until the early reformation when the grounds began to fall into disrepair. This was common among monastic orders around the reformation with the abbey being officially "suppressed" in 1578, and the lands were distributed to local landlords and government officials. By 1814 a new church in nearby Gort became the central cathedral for this particular diocese.

From then on, it's sat as essentially just ruins on the side of the road (minus the graveyard which is still used today). The girdle to determine chastity was also stolen when it became ruins, and no one knows where it is today. 

(Photo above features another building on the grounds - it was further away and I didn't take close up shots of it).

This reminds me of Glendalough Tower, but much less well-known. 

There lies our seventh day in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Day eight, the last day, will be up soon. The ruins for this abbey were beautiful to see.