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Killone Abbey

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Coordinates: 52°48′22.32″N 9°0′15.62″W / 52.8062000°N 9.0043389°W / 52.8062000; -9.0043389
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Killone Abbey
Religion
AffiliationAugustinian Pre-Reformation Catholic
Location
Killone Abbey is located in Ireland
Killone Abbey
Shown within Ireland
Geographic coordinates52°48′22.32″N 9°0′15.62″W / 52.8062000°N 9.0043389°W / 52.8062000; -9.0043389
Architecture
Groundbreakingfounded c.1189 (or monks founded 1120)
Materialssandstone
Website
http://www.newhall.ie

Killone Abbey (Irish: Mainistir Chill Eoin[1]) is a former nunnery located on the grounds of Newhall Estate in County Clare, Ireland. The abbey was founded in 1190 by Donal Mór O'Brien, King of Thomond and Munster, who placed there a sisterhood of the order of Saint Augustin. It was a prominent house of Canonesses Regular and one of the major female monastic institutions in Gaelic Ireland.[2]

It became closely associated with the O'Brien dynasty, one of the leading Gaelic noble families in medieval Ireland, and many of its abbesses were drawn from their ranks. Among them was Slaney O'Brien (d. 1260), the daughter of Carbreagh, King of Thomond, who renounced her royal status and worldly possessions to take up the role of abbess. In an era marked by political unrest and violence, the abbey provided the happiest, as well as safest asylum for female virtue.[3]

The last abbess, Lady Honora O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Brien, the 1st Earl of Thomond, played a significant role in the abbey's later history. Following the suppression of monastic houses in 1540, Lady Honora married Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy and became heiress to Newhall and Killone. Their marriage, which required papal dispensation, occurred after the birth of their three eldest children.[2]

By 1617, the abbey was recorded as being in ruins. Today, its remains are located on land used for grazing cattle within the grounds of Newhall House and Estate. The ruins include substantial portions of the abbey church and a crypt. A narrow stone stairway, situated between the altar and the east window, leads to a ledge atop the south wall of the church, offering views of the surrounding grounds.

The site is widely regarded for its serene atmosphere, spiritual significance, and natural beauty, making it a cherished landmark in the local area.[4]

Saint John's Holy Well

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Also located on the grounds of Newhall Estate is Holy Well of Saint John the Baptist, known as Tobar Eoin in Irish, which has long been a site of religious significance. The well’s origins date back to pre-Christian times when it is believed to have been a pagan site of offerings to Jun of Babylon with summer festivals.

The well is believed to have healing properties and has served as a place of pilgrimage for centuries. It features remnants of historical stone structures and a natural spring. Local folklore and historical records indicate that the well was visited for blessings and cures, particularly during the feast day of Saint John. Its enduring presence continues to attract visitors seeking spiritual reflection and healing.[5][6][7]

The well, adorned with inscriptions, some dating back to 1600, remains a site of veneration and a tangible connection to the spiritual practices of earlier generations. Its enduring presence reflects the reverence and affection carried by local traditions for this historic site.[8]

Lord Walter Fitzgerald, the fourth son of Charles, Duke of Leinster, visited the site in 1899 and documented its history in Inscriptions at St. John’s Well, Killone Abbey, County Clare for the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.[7]

Today, the site remains a focal point of local religious tradition, with an annual outdoor Mass held in June by the local parish, maintaining its role as a place of veneration and community gathering.[9]

Access

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The abbey and graveyard is privately owned,[10][11] part of Newhall Estate, owned by the Commane family,[12][13] and as protected sites under national monument legislation, guardianship is vested in the Office of Public Works.[12][11] As it is private land, access is available with the owner's permission.[13][10] Killone Abbey is linked to Clare Abbey by the Pilgrim's Path, a footpath through Ballybeg forrest.[9]

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  • Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection National Library of Ireland
    Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection National Library of Ireland
  • Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection
    Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection
  • Killone Abbey
    Killone Abbey
  • Killone Abbey Graveyard Ennis
    Killone Abbey Graveyard Ennis
  • Killone Abbey Graveyard Ennis
    Killone Abbey Graveyard Ennis

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Cill Eoin/Killone". Logainm.ie. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b McShane, Bronagh Ann (2022). Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700: Suppression, Migration and Reintegration. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 978-1-78327-730-8.
  3. ^ O'Dowd, Mary (17 February 2016). A History of Women in Ireland, 1500-1800. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-87725-7.
  4. ^ Hurlbert, William Henry (17 July 2020). Irland under Coercion: Volume 1. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 118. ISBN 978-3-7523-0795-5.
  5. ^ "Saint John the Baptist Holy Well, Tobar Eoin, Newhall". County Clare Heritage Office. 31 July 2021. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  6. ^ Monahan, Fintan (24 June 2019). "Pilgrimage to St. John's Well, Killone Abbey". Killaloe Diocese. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b Lord Fitzgerald, Walter (July 1899). "INSCRIPTIONS AT ST. JOHN'S WELL, KILLONE ABBEY, COUNTY CLARE" (PDF). ROYAL SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF IRELAND. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  8. ^ Society (Yorkshire), East Riding Antiquarian (1903). The Transactions of the East Riding Antiquarian Society. The Society.
  9. ^ a b "Mass at St John's Well – a very special occasion". Clarecastle Community Development. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b "National Monuments, Dáil Éireann debate". The Oireachtas. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Municipal District of Ennis Committee Meeting (item 6, no. 1)" (PDF). Clare. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b Oireachtas, Houses of the (16 June 2015). "National Monuments – Tuesday, 16 Jun 2015 – Parliamentary Questions (31st Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas". www.oireachtas.ie. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Newhall Estate". 23 February 2024.

Sources

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  • Glichrist, R., Gender and Material Culture: The Archaeology of Religious Women, (London, 1994)
  • Ó Dálaigh, B., ‘Mistress, Mother and Abbess: Renalda Ní Bhriain c.1447-1510’ in North Munster Antiquarian Journal, 32, (1990) pp 50–63.
  • O’Keeffe, T.  An Anglo-Norman Monastery: Bridgetown Priory and the Architecture of the Augustinian Canons Regular in Ireland, (Cork, 1999)
  • Westropp, T.J., ‘The Augustinian Houses of the County Clare: Clare, Killone and Inchicronan’ in Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, (1900) pp 118–135.
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