Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara scanned from collection at Longford Library

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara

Photograph of Cistercian Abbey in Abbeylara scanned from collection at Longford Library

Enlarge image

Abbeylara first came into prominence in Irish ecclesiastical history when the Anglo-Norman Tuites founded a Cistercian abbey in the area around the beginning of the thirteenth century. At this time, the Cistercian monks were drawn from St. Mary's Abbey in Dublin rather than from the native Irish houses of the order.

Edward Bruce, brother of Robert Bruce seized and plundered the monastery of Abbeylara in 1315 and remained in the abbey for the winter

By the end of the fourteenth century, Abbeylara monastery and the surrounding country had come under the influence of the Irish rulers of Annaly, the O'Farrell family. From the appointment of Richard O'Farrell as abbot in 1411 to the dissolution of the abbey in 1540, all the abbots were Irishmen, most of them drawn from the ruling O'Farrell family.

The last abbot to rule the monastery of Abbeylara was another Richard O'Farrell. He surrendered the abbey with its lands and possessions to Henry VIII without any reluctance when the King decreed the dissolution of all monasteries and the confiscation of monastic property. Abbot Richard was given a grant of English liberty and appointed Bishop of Ardagh by Henry VIII. At the time of the dissolution, the abbey held over 5,500 acres of land while the monastery buildings were in ruins. At this point in time, Abbeylara disappeared from Irish ecclesiastical history.

Very little now remains of the monastic buildings of Abbeylara. There is a fine arch supporting one side of what was once the abbey church, several smaller arches and a winding staircase.