TIMOLEAGUE ABBEY
Mainistir Tigh Molaige
Timoleague, County Cork

Timoleague village is located at the head of Courtmacsherry Bay, an inlet off the Celtic Sea, an area on the south coast between the Atlantic Ocean and St George's Channel. This village is mainly a residential community, but the main draw are the lovely ruins of Timoleague Abbey.

It's unknown if Timoleague Abbey was founded by MacCarthy Reach, Lord Carbery in 1240 or William de Barry during the reign of Edward III because the buildings on the site date back to various periods. The original church was shorter than the current one and was probably lengthened when the tower portion was added by Edmund de Courcy, Bishop of Ross, at the end of the 1400s.

The abbey was sacked in 1612 by English soldiers who also smashed all of the stained glass windows, but much of the significant architecture remains, to include: the church, infirmary, finely detailed lancet windows, refectory and a walled courtyard. There are also a section with a cloister and wine celler.

Though the structure was plain to the point of austerity, the friars living here had a penchant for the finer things in life, and indeed prospered because of their trade with Spanish wine merchants.

The friars remained in the abbey until 1629. Brother Michael O'Cleary visited the abbey around that time to copy manuscripts for the compliation of "The Annals of the Four Masters".

.    
 

~ Free attraction
~ Free car parking available
~ Easy access along gravel paths

 

 
ABOUT US | TERMS & CONDITIONS | CONTACT US
This site is copyrighted to All Ireland Travel