St. Patrick's Well is situated in a tranquil valley to the west of Clonmel, close to the village of Marlfield in County Tipperary. It is a beautiful setting for this holy site which has been revered for centuries. There are over 3,000 holy wells in Ireland and St. Patrick's Well is thought to be one of the largest in the country. Holy wells are sacred places where natural springs or man-made hollows that collect water are thought to have a religious significance because of their association with a saint.

At St. Patrick's well, legend has it that St. Patrick stopped off at this valley on his journey through South Tipperary and Waterford where he reputedly converted the King of Munster to Christianity at the Rock of Cashel. St. Patrick was reputed to have stopped here to bathe and baptise local people, however it is unlikely that Patrick was ever in this part of Ireland, as he does not mention travelling to the south of the country in his writings Confessio or Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, in fact the story of Patrick's journey in Munster comes from a source written nearly five hundred years after Patrick's death – the 10th Century Life of St. Declan, but despite this, St. Patrick’s association with the well lives on to this day.

Like many Holy wells around the country, St. Patrick’s Well is said to have many curative properties in local belief and folklore. It is said that by drinking the water from the well or even washing in the well, ailments like sore lips, sore eyes and many other chronic diseases can be cured. Indeed, it is thought that the well at St. Patricks has magical properties as the water that flows through the well never freezes, this is more likely due to the fact that the well is sited over natural springs that maintain a constant temperature.

The Well itself has been enclosed by a circular wall. The natural water that bubbles up is channeled through two narrow stone cut openings that an archaeologist has identified as possible flumes from an early medieval mill. The water descends into a large shallow pool, from where it then flows into a narrow stream, a tributary of the River Suir, which flows about a couple of kilometres south of the site.

Standing on a small island in the pool is the small sandstone cross, thought to be one of the oldest archaeological monuments at St. Patrick's Well. This cross is thought to date to the 8th century. It was originally positioned close to the church on marshy ground, but a programme of renovation and reconstruction was carried out at this site in the 1960's and the cross was moved to its current position.

The stone church which stands to the south appears to date to the fifteenth or sixteenth century. There is a historical record of the Abbot of Inislounaght being buried at the church in 1617. Inislounaght was once a thriving bustling Cistercian Abbey but there are no traces left of the Abbey today. However, it is thought that some architectural fragments were brought from the Abbey to St. Patrick's Well and incorporated into the parish church. Within the now roofless Parish church there is an altar tomb dating from 1622, dedicated to the White family.

St. Patrick’s Well is a great example of this type of archaeological monument that transcends the boundaries between Paganism and Christianity. If you visit this peaceful and tranquil spot it is easy to see why it was chosen hundreds or even thousands of years ago as a place of worship as there is a clear connection between the natural and sacred world at this site.

The easiest way to get to St. Patrick's well is to take the left hand turn after the Poppyfields shopping centre on the Cahir Road. Follow this narrow road until you come to a crossroads, turn right and continue on this road, there will be parking spaces to your left and the Well is accessed through a brightly painted gate. There are signposts leading to the site. Access to the well is down a number of steps which bring you down into the sheltered valley. If you have time, visit Marlfield lake which is close by, this is a man-made lake which is now home to a wild bird sanctuary.

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One of Ireland’s true hidden gems, Kilcooley Abbey is a simply wonderful place to visit. It is located in the beautiful Sliabh-Ardagh region of Tipperary, and is located within the walls of the Kilcooley Estate, an impressive Georgian house with over a thousand acres of land.

Kilcooley Abbey was founded in 1182 after a grant of land to the Cistercians by Donal Mor O'Briain, King of Munster. It was the ‘daughter house’ of Jerpoint Abbey in County Kilkenny, and Kilcooley is without a doubt one of Ireland’s finest Cistercian abbeys and is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture. 

The Cistercian Order was founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Burgundy, Central France in 1098. St. Bernard believed that the other monastic orders had become dissolute and undisciplined, and he founded the Cistercians as an austere and hard-working order who focused on a life of prayer. The Cistercians were initially extremely successful in Ireland, and spread rapidly from their first foundation at Mellifont in County Louth.

I haven’t been able to find much on the next couple of centuries of Kilcooley’s history, but the Abbey is recorded as being attacked and burned in 1418 and later again it was recorded as being almost completely levelled by an armed force of men in 1444. After this attack, the Ormond Butlers instigated a programme of reconstruction which removed the nave aisles and added a new north transept and tower. Most of the stunning sculpture around the Abbey dates to this period of reconstruction and renovation under the patronage of the powerful Ormond Butlers. The works were carried out under the eye of the Abbot, Philip O’Mulwanayn, and his graveslab dating to 1463 shows him holding his bishop’s crozier and book of prayer. He appears to have been part of a dynasty, as his son William, and his ancestors after him, were abbots of Kilcooley until the mid sixteenth century.

The Butlers were rewarded for their patronage, by having their tombs placed inside the sacred areas of Kilcooley. The most stunning of which is the incredible tomb of Pierce Fitz Oge Butler. The tomb likely dates to 1526, and depicts Pierce Butler in his armour. At his feet a small dog indicates his faithfulness and loyalty, and ten of the twelve apostles are depicted below (from left to right) Saint Peter holding the keys to Heaven, Saint Andrew, Saint James (major), Saint John, Saint Thomas, Saint James (minor), Saint Philip, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Simon and Saint Matthew. Unusually, we know who actually created the tomb, as the name of the sculptor Rory O’Tunney (Roricus O Tuyne) is clearly marked.

The Sedilla

The wonderful screen wall

The beautiful eastern window

Medieval tomb effigys, with that of Abbot Phillip O’Mulwanayn highlighted

It is almost impossible to do justice in this short blog article to the sheer wealth of incredible sculpture at Kilcooley, for example the beautifully ornate Gothic east window is so delicately carved, with the stone formed to look almost like flames or delicate foliage.  The ‘abbots chair’ (or sedilla) is also incredible, and is matched on the other side by another, slightly plainer example perhaps for a prior. As far as I am aware I believe them to be the only examples in Irish Cistercian monasteries.

The screen wall separating the southern transept from the sacristy is also elaborately decorated with a number of scenes including Saint Christopher crossing a river with the infant Jesus, the crucifixion with Mary and Saint John on either side, a pelican feeding its young within a chalice, a charming mermaid with a comb and mirror, and the Butler coat-of-arms.

The cloister area

Beyond this area you can enter the cloister. The cloisters was an important feature of Cistercian monasteries, and were always located to the south. They were usually a covered walkway enclosing an open square area. Very little remains of any covered walkway at Kilcooley, and it appears that perhaps the cloisters were converted to a courtyard in its later history. You can see other more domestic quarters at Kilcooley though some of these are kept locked and inaccessible to the public for health and safety reasons. Outside of the abbey you can see a small circular tower, this was a dovecote where the monks kept pigeons. The pigeons were a handy source of protein and the pigeon dung also made good fertilizer, very little was wasted in a medieval monastery! In its heyday, the Abbey would have also had other agricultural buildings like mills and a large lay population to work the land.

Stairway to domestic quarters

Kilcooley Abbey ceased to be a place of monks and contemplation when it was surrendered during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540. However the lands were granted directly to the Butlers, and it is recorded that they allowed monks to remain at Kilcooley, until they sold it to Sir Jerome Alexander in 1636. After the Catholic Confederacy rebellion in 1641, Cistercian monks returned to Kilcooley, until they were finally removed from the site by Cromwell’s forces in 1650. Ten years later the Alexander family regained the Abbey and when Elizabeth Alexander married Sir William Barker of Essex in 1676, the Abbey was converted into being a domestic house.

In 1790 the grand Kilcooley House was built and replaced the abbey as the main residence. Today the site is a National Monument, and under the care of the Office of Public Works. The site is gated, but the gate is often left unlocked during the day to allow visitors to enjoy one of the finest heritage sites in the country.

Kilcooley is located around 20km east of Thurles in County Tipperary at co-ordinates 52.67206 -7.5644, off the R690. It’s just east of Gortnahoe. When you go up the drive of Kilcooley Estate you’ll see signs for the Abbey, but before you get there be sure to park your car at the relatively modern Church of Ireland and take a moment to see the quite remarkable 18/19th century pyramid shaped burial monument of the Barker family. It’s well worth a look! The abbey is just further along the track, less than a five minute walk from there.

Kilcooley is one of the sites on our free to download audioguide The Derrynaflan Trail, that leads you around the beautiful Slieveardagh Region of County Tipperary and helps you to explore the wonderful ancient monasteries and churches that you will encounter along the way. Download directly to your smartphone or tablet with our free audiovisual app (for Apple and Android), please see here for a preview.

Alternatively you can download directly onto your desktop or laptop as a free MP3 album, please visit here to download your free copy.

The dovecote

The fantastic Historic Graves group have also visited Kilcooley and have recorded the custodian of the Abbey eloquently describing the history and features of this remarkable place. You can find this here

If you have a suggestion for a site I’d love to hear it, please let us know by dropping us a line at info@abartaaudioguides.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, where you can keep up with daily pictures and information about wonderful heritage sites in Ireland.

If you’d like to support us please consider downloading an audioguide from my website www.abartaaudioguides.com. They are designed to be fun and informative whether you are at the site or from the comfort of your own home. Try our audioguide to Viking and Medieval Dublin, or if you’re in Tipperary try our guides to the Rock of Cashel or the formidable Cahir Castle. Available for just €1.99 from www.abartaaudioguides.com

The unusual pyramid monument of the Barker family

 

The impressive Kilcooley Estate, dates to the 18th Century and available for €2.1m

Saint Elair was said to have founded a small monastic site at Monaincha on a small island surrounded by a lake in the seventh century, but most of the visible remains on the site date to the Augustinians who established a small monastery here dedicated to Saint Mary in the twelfth to fifteenth centuries.
The name Monaincha comes from Mainistir Inse na mBeo meaning The Monastery of the Island of the Living, originally the monastery was on a small island surrounded by water, but agricultural drainage works in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries drained the lake and left the monastery perched conspicuously on top of a mound in a low boggy field.

The beautifully decorated Romanesque doorway

The strange powers of the island were recorded by the twelfth century Norman clergyman and chronicler Gerald of Wales. He discusses the island on which the monastery stands in this excerpt, Monaincha is the smaller island he describes, I’m not sure where the larger island is.

‘There is a lake in the north of Munster which contains two islands, one rather large and the other rather small. The larger has a church venerated from the earliest times. The smaller [Monaincha] has a chapel cared for most devotedly by a few celibates called ‘heaven-worshippers’.
No woman or animal of the female sex could ever enter the larger island without dying immediately. This has been proved many times by instances of dogs and cats and other animals of the female sex. When brought there to make a trial, they immediately died.
A remarkable thing about the birds there is that, while the males settle on bushes everywhere throughout the island, the females fly over and leave their mates there and, as if they were fully conscious of its peculiar power, avoid the island like a plague.
In the smaller island [Monaincha] no one has ever died or could die a natural death. Accordingly it is called the Island of the Living. Nevertheless the inhabitants sometimes suffer mortal sicknesses and endure the agony almost to their last gasp.
When there is no hope left; when they feel that they have not a spark of life left; when as the strength decreases they are eventually so distressed that they prefer to die in death than drag out a life of death, they get themselves finally transported in a boat to the larger island, and, as soon as they touch ground there, they give up the ghost’.

(From The History and Topography of Ireland by Gerald of Wales, translated by John J.O’Meara and published by Penguin Books, 1982)

The high cross at Monaincha is a composite of two different crosses. The base appears to be decorated but it is very weathered and difficult to make out, is said to date to around the 9th century, the long thin shaft with a depiction of Christ at the apex is later, dating to the 12th century.

Some of the wonderful detailed decoration on the chancel arch

The church has a really beautifully decorated Romanesque-style doorway resplendent with designs of chevrons, zigzags and foliage carved into the sandstone. The church itself is quite a simple nave and chancel church, with the chancel arch again in the Romanesque style. However evidence of the later activity on site can be seen in the architecture of some of the windows that appear to be later insertions. A small addition to the church has been tacked on in probably around the fifteenth century, it consists of vaulted chamber that may have been a sacristy and a set of steps leading to an upper chamber little of which survives today. The construction of this addition seems a bit rougher than the well constructed original parts of the church.

The vaulted chamber, perhaps originally a sacristy?

I do recommend a visit to Monaincha, especially as you can team it up with a visit to the heritage town of Roscrea, with its impressive castle, Damer House, friary and round tower. To find Monaincha from Roscrea drive north east along the old Dublin Road till you come to a roundabout, then take the exit for Monaincha, the site is signposted Monaincha Church. Monaincha is along a very narrow bumpy track, unless you are in a 4x4 driving along it even in good weather is a bit of a hair raising experience and there is very little room to turn at the end of the track. I’d recommend leaving the car safely pulled in before the track, and walk the 400m or so down to the site. The site is located in a field full of livestock (pretty lively bullocks when we visited on 1st July 2013) so be sure to wear adequate footwear and please close any gates behind you.

A view from the chancel through to the nave of the church

I really hope you enjoy this blog. Please do check out our map page to see if we’ve covered any sites in your area. If you’d like to keep up with daily posts about Ireland’s amazing heritage sites then you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. We’d love to hear from you if you have any suggestions for sites to visit or any feedback about my blog.

I also provide downloadable audioguides to Irish heritage sites through my company Abarta Audioguides. Many of these are available absolutely free to download and are packed with original music and sound effects, they are a fun way of discovering the story of Ireland through its places visit www.abartaaudioguides.com to discover the sites we have covered. Why not try a free one like The Rock of Dunamase, Kells Heritage Town or the M6 A Route Through Time?

All photographs © Neil Jackman / abartaaudioguides.com

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Derrynaflan, also known as Gobán Saor’s Island, is situated in the middle of Littleton bog in County Tipperary. The name derives from the Oak Wood of the Two Flanns, a reference to two prominent clerics who lived here during the ninth century. It has over a thousand years of history as an ecclesiastical settlement – from as far back as the early medieval period to the 1700s.

The site first appears in our historical records when a monastery was said to have been founded here by Saint Ruadhan of Lorrha in the sixth century. Derrynaflan reached its zenith in the eighth and ninth century, when it became home to the Celi Dé (or Culdee) movement. This Christian sect were noted for their very austere way of life.

Derrynaflan is reputed to be the burial place of An Gobán Saor (Gobán the builder), a famed architect, stonemason and builder of churches in Ireland in the decades around 600 AD. He is said to have been born near Malahide, Co Dublin in 560 AD. A wealth of folklore abounds concerning the life of An Gobán.

One tale tells how on one occasion he was building a monastery, and as he neared completion, the monks decided to lower his wages and cheat him of his dues. Gobán refused to negotiate, so the monks took away all his ladders and scaffolding until he agreed, leaving him trapped high on the building. This did not deter Gobán though, he simply began to throw down stone after stone of the building, saying it was an easy way as any to descend, the monks reluctantly relented and paid him the agreed fee.

The interior of the church

Another story concerns his shrewd wife Ruaidhseach. Gobán and his son were labouring for seven years to build a fine castle for a king. The wily king planned to have them killed when they finished it so they could not build as fine a fortress for any of his rivals. Gobán heard of his wicked plans and sent word to the king that he couldn’t finish the castle without a particular tool called a “crooked and straight”.

Bullaun Stone inside the church

The King, fearing treachery, would not allow Gobán and his son to leave to fetch the tool, so he sent his own son in their place. What the king did not guess, was that the ‘crooked and straight’ was actually a warning code for his wife, Ruaidhseach. When the Prince came demanding the ‘crooked and straight’ she told him it was at the bottom of a deep casket. When the Prince bent over to find it she quickly threw him in and sealed the casket, sending word to the King that if he wished to see his son again then he should release Gobán and her son which he promptly did. Three graveslabs on the eastern side of the island are said to mark the burial place of the Gobán and his family.

The land for Derrynaflan was probably granted by the powerful Eoganacht dynasty from their base in Cashel, however when the Eoganacht’s power began to wane by the end of the ninth century, the monastic community at Derrynaflan also went into decline.

The site was reinvigorated during the twelfth century, and the ruined church at Derrynaflan represents these two different periods. The small single-roomed church of the early medieval period was incorporated into a larger nave-and-chancel church in the twelfth century. This was a traditional layout during the medieval period, the chancel was the part of the church which housed the altar and where the priests, monks or clergy would have sat during mass, while the nave was for the common people. Outside the church you can see one wall of an enclosure nearby. A small Franciscan community continued largely unnoticed on the island between 1676 and 1717. This was during a period of suppression of the Catholic Church in Ireland, when the harsh Penal Laws held sway, following the Cromwellian Conquest and Williamite Wars.

In 1980 an incredible hoard of ecclesiastical metalwork was discovered nearby, including a beautiful silver chalice accompanied by a patten and wine strainer. These objects were thought to have been hidden for safekeeping sometime in the 9th or early 10th century, but never recovered. Perhaps the person who hid them was killed or captured in a raid by Vikings or Irish warriors from a rival tribe. These magnificent artefacts are now on display in the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street. 

The magnificent silver chalice of Derrynaflan

In recent years, life has begun to return to the old church site of Derrynaflan, as dawn mass on Easter Sunday morning on the island has become an annual event. To hear more of the story of Derrynaflan try our free MP3 audioguide, available from here. 

To get to Derrynaflan from the Laffansbridge direction, take the R691 at Laffansbridge. Turn left here (signposted for Cashel). After approx. 1.5 km turn right off this road onto the road signed L5402, which is a narrow third-class road. Follow this road for 2 km and then turn right (no signpost) on a laneway into the old village of Lurgoe, about 1km from Derrynaflan. It is possible to drive further from this point, but the laneways are narrow and unpaved and you will need to open and close several gates, so proceeding from here on foot is recommended. If you are at Horse & Jockey, just after the Hotel, turn left (signpost for Ballinure) and 200m down this road, take the second left junction. Continue along this road for 2.5 km. A laneway to the right leads towards Derrynaflan. It is recommended that you park here and proceed on foot southwards to Derrynaflan Island. 

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Hore Abbey (also known as St. Mary's Abbey of the Rock) sits both literally and figuratively in the shadow of the mighty Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. Although the Rock of Cashel is one of the most visited heritage sites in Ireland, very few spend the extra time on a short walk to visit the wonderful Abbey below.

The name Hore Abbey has a number of possible derivations - the first is that the name 'Hore' comes from 'iubhair' Gaelic for Yew Tree. Another theory suggests that the name refers to the dull grey coloured tunics that the monks wore.

Hore Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, and most of the visible remains date to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. You can still see the well preserved remains of a refectory, a large church with nave, chancel, and transepts all in good condition. Each of the transepts has a small chapel, and you can see the remains of an archbishops tomb just north of the chancel.

The cloisters are in a very unusual position, usually the cloister is always positioned to the south of the church - however at Hore Abbey they are positioned to the north. Possibly because the Rock of Cashel is so prominent to the north, they wanted to maximise its impact.

 Local legend has it that the Abbey was given to the Cistercian order in 1270 AD, as the Archbishop of Cashel, MacCearbhaill, had a dream that the Benedictines [who were the original owners of the site] were plotting against him. He drove the Benedictines from Cashel, and invited the Cistercians to take their place.

The last Abbot of Hore Abbey was Patrick Stackpole, he had held the position for several decades, but peacefully surrendered the Abbey to the Crown Forces during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in circa 1540. The lands were granted to the powerful Butler Family, and were eventually transferred again by Queen Elizabeth Ist to Sir Henry Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex.


If you are visiting the wonderful Rock of Cashel, do allow an extra little bit of time to view the wonderful remains of Hore Abbey, as an extra incentive you also get a great view of the Rock from there!

If anyone would like to learn more about the history and legends of the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey you can download our audioguide from www.abartaaudioguides.com

Athassel Abbey is located close to the village of Golden in Co. Tipperary and is a fantastic example of an Augustianian Priory. Indeed Athassel Abbey was once an important urban centre in medieval Ireland. It is said that there were over two thousand people living in a settlement around the Abbey, but today the ruins of the abbey slumber beside the meandering River Suir, with no visible traces of the vibrant settlement that once surrounded it.

This Abbey site was founded in around 1200AD by a prominent Anglo Norman named William Fitz Aldhelm de Burgo. He was granted extensive land in Tipperary and decided to give some of that land to the church to create a bastion of Anglo Norman worship in the Irish Landscape. It is likely that William de Burgo himself lived quite close to the site where the abbey was to be built, the remains of a motte stand across the river from the abbey. Mottes were built by Norman lords in the years after their arrival in Ireland as defensive sites to gain control of strategic areas. Today the motte at Athassel is very overgrown but it is an interesting indication of strong Anglo Norman presence in the area.
In 1205 it was noted that William died and was buried at the abbey he founded. This set an important precedent, from that point on Athassel was regarded as the final resting place of the powerful de Burgo [also known as Burke] family who continued to thrive in Ireland and went on to become Lords of Connacht and the Earls of Ulster in the thirteenth century. Indeed an impressive tomb was discovered at Athassel dating to the early fourteenth century. This work featured carvings of knights and was of such quality only someone of great wealth could afford to have commissioned it. It is unclear which member of the De Burgo family commissioned this work, but the beautiful example of a medieval tomb is one of the few Irish examples that still has traces of its original paint. The tomb was moved to the museum in the Rock of Cashel and can be seen there today.

Augustinian Canons came to Athassel on de Burgos request and initially built half a church, followed by a cloister area, then a chapter house and dormitories with a refectory or eating area before turning their attention back to the church to complete the nave or congregation area. The priory was dedicated to St. Edmund.  The support from a wealthy family like the de Burgos and the location of the Abbey on the banks of the navigable River Suir insured that it would become a prominent economic hub and settlement quickly grew around it. The burgeoning town was granted the valuable privilege of the right to hold an annual fair for seven days that attracted people from surrounding towns and villages from miles around. To put this in context, at this time Dublin was granted an annual fair of fifteen days. 

By the 1480s, the abbey was in decline. It had suffered during the fourteenth century from raids, burnings and plague, and by the fifteenth century Ireland was becoming more lawless as the power of the Anglo Norman lords was dwindling. In 1512, the strong connection with the de Burgo family was broken, and another family took precedence, the Butlers of Ormond. The Butler family had landholdings in south Tipperary and Kilkenny. The break with the Burkes was the beginning of the end for Athassel as shortly after King Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Athassel was spared until 1552, when King Edward VI ordered the abandonment of Athassel. It was burned one final time in 1581 by a member of the Fitzgerald family who destroyed the monastery in Athassel in a search of ‘spoils and booty’.
Athassel stands today as a testament to the different fortunes of the Anglo Norman families who came to Ireland in search of opportunities and land. One of the largest medieval priories to be found in Ireland, Athassel is incredibly well preserved and highlights the strong connections between the Norman Lords and the church and the value of strong patronage. The complex stretches across four acres of land and features one of Ireland’s only medieval gate and bridge complexes, a truly wonderful site to explore.

To get to Athassel, make your way to the village of Golden, Co. Tipperary via the N74. Drive through the village, over the bridge, directly after the bridge turn left (the site is signposted) and continue down this small lane. The site will be located on your left. There is limited parking. The site is located both close to the historical towns of Cashel and Cahir so why not combine a visit to Athassel with a visit to the wonderful Rock of Cashel or the magnificently well preserved Cahir Castle. If you are planning on visiting one of those superb sites try out our audioguides available from www.abartaaudioguides.com, packed with original music and sound effects they are a fun and immersive way to discover the history and stories of Ireland’s heritage.

 Located near to the village of Ahenny in County Tipperary you can find two of the most important high crosses in Ireland. The crosses are inside a small graveyard with a church dedicated to St. Crispin, this churchyard presumably sits on the site of an important early medieval monastery. No traces above ground can be seen of this early monastery, apart from the two high crosses.

The North Cross

The crosses are part of the Ossory group of high crosses and are thought to be two of the earliest examples in Ireland, and likely to date as early as the 8th Century AD. They are different to most other high crosses in that instead of depicting biblical scenes, they have elaborate decoration consisting of panels of interlacing spirals and geometrical shapes.

They appear to be replicating decoration found on earlier metalwork crosses, possibly suggesting that these crosses are important in tracing the development of Irish high crosses from small decorative metal crosses to the large stone examples depicting biblical scenes such as the fine examples at Monasterboice Co. Louth or Castledermot in Co. Kildare. That the crosses at Ahenny are replicating in stone what was in metalwork is most clear when you see the five rounded bosses on the cross heads which clearly imitates the enamel or glass studs on the metal examples.

The South Cross

The base of each cross has been heavily weathered and is extremely difficult to make out today, but it is believed that the North Cross base depicts a chariot procession, a funeral procession, Adam naming the animals and the mission of the apostles. The South Cross base is thought to depict hunting scenes, Daniel in the Lions Den and The Fall of Man.

Both crosses also have removable stone caps, possibly representing Bishop's mitres, these caps seem to be a feature of the Ossory group of High Crosses. 

To get to Ahenny, travel from Carrick-on-Suir on the R697 heading north for approximately six kilometres. Turn left at Scrogh Bridge then take the next right. Travel about two kilometres down this road to just past the church. The crosses can be seen in the middle of a small graveyard, located in a field just outside the small village of Ahenny.

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Ormond Castle in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, originally dates to the fourteenth century. It is named after the Butler family, a highly influential and powerful Norman dynasty who became Earls of Ormond. The progenitor of the family in Ireland was Theobald Walter who came to Ireland in the aftermath of the Norman Invasion in the late twelfth-century. He was rewarded for his service by being granted vast lands in the South-East of Ireland, particularly centred around Counties Tipperary, Kilkenny and parts of Waterford. He was also given the title Chief Butler of Ireland, who had the honour of personally serving the King on state occasions, and with this came the right to levy his own tax on all wine imports into Ireland – as the Normans were known to like a tipple this ensured that Theobald Walter and his successors became very wealthy indeed!

In 1315 Edmund FitzWalter (6th Chief Butler) was granted the Lordship and Manor of Carrick by King Edward II, and his son James made the advantageous marriage to Eleanor de Bohun, a granddaughter of the King. By the middle of the fourteenth century, the Butlers were Earls of Ormond and had cemented their position as one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in Ireland.

The castle at Carrick-on-Suir is thought to have an early origin, but the remains visible today largely date to later than the fourteenth century. In the grounds you can see the ruins of a medieval bawn (a fortified walled enclosure), with two tall fourteenth or fifteenth century towers. One of the towers is in ruins, while the other tower (thought to be the earliest of the two) is still well-preserved. If you look closely at the ruined tower you can still see features like the ornate fireplace that probably dates to the fifteenth or early sixteenth century [a noisy family of ravens have made one of these towers their home, and their calls certainly add atmosphere to the site]. Other buildings in the area exist only at foundation level, though it is possible to see the remains of the large bricked up Water Gate in the exterior wall. In the medieval period, the River Suir flowed at the base of the castle walls, and the River Gate allowed goods and people to be transported easily up and down the River to the other major centres nearby at Cahir, Clonmel and Waterford.

The Tudor Period was a turbulent time in Irish history. An uprising by the Butler’s long time rivals, The Fitzgeralds, had just been defeated, and King Henry VIII had become the first English Monarch to declare himself ‘King of Ireland’. He began a process of plantations and conquest that was continued after his death, during the reigns of Mary and then Elizabeth. During this chaotic period, Thomas Butler, Earl of Ossory and 10th Earl of Ormond succeeded to his lands and titles in 1546 when he was just fifteen years old. Thomas had grown up at the English Court, and was seen as a faithful friend to the Crown. He was a personal friend to the young Elizabeth (and some suggest perhaps their friendship was more romantic than platonic) and he shared a tutor with the future King Edward VI. Following King Henry VIII’s death, Thomas Butler was present at the Coronation of the young King Edward and he was proclaimed as a Knight of the Order of Bath, a very high honour. Following Edward’s death at a young age, he remained at court during Mary’s reign and rose to high favour and prominence when Elizabeth became Queen. She named him Lord Treasurer of Ireland, a position that brought great wealth and prestige. 

He returned to Ireland, where he was thought of favourably, though he was considered to be ‘wholly English’ by the locals. He fought a number of bloody campaigns against the rebellious O’Moore’s of County Laois. However, despite occasionally earning the displeasure of the English Court due to ongoing feuding with the Fitzgeralds, Thomas [or Black Tom as he became known] maintained the good favour of the Crown. He was awarded a number of titles; President of Munster, Lord High Marshal of Ireland and Commander in Chief of Her Majesty’s Forces in Ireland.

It is said that he had the handsome Manor House of Ormond Castle constructed in preparation for a planned visit by Queen Elizabeth the Ist. However she never journeyed to Ireland to see this splendid building. This building is Ireland’s finest surviving example of an Elizabethan Manor House, and many of its architectural styles reflect the English influence. Originally, its handsome stone walls would have been covered with a plaster render and whitewashed in the fashion of the time. The building faces outwards onto what would have been a large park with a grand carriageway.
Today you can enjoy a guided tour around this building (though unfortunately no interior photographs are permitted). You can enter a number of the rooms, most impressively the Long Gallery, and you’ll encounter features like musket-loops, showing a formidable defensive, as well as fashionable, design. There are a number of pieces of period furniture, though none are original to the building. They do give a good sense of the style and furniture of the period. Perhaps most impressive of all is the rare plaster stucco friezes that depict the coat of arms of the Butler Family as well as griffins, falcons and portrait busts of Elizabeth Ist. You can also see impressive grand fireplaces in this stately room that once would have been filled with portraits and tapestries, leaving visitors to Ormond Castle in no doubt about the wealth and taste of the Earl of Ormond.

Facing towards the now blocked up arch of the Water Gate

Gradually the Butler family began to focus their attention and money on their other residences at Kilkenny Castle and Dunmore House. By the end of the seventeenth century, Ormond Castle was leased to tenants like Sir Ralph Freeman and his wife, and a group of French merchant families. A number of changes and alterations are believed to have been carried out at this time. In the eighteenth century, a solicitor named Mr Wogan who was a tenant at the castle levelled many of the ancillary buildings and began to modernise the Manor House. Gradually, Ormond Castle began to fall into disrepair. It was taken into OPW care in the 1940s, and a long programme of restoration was initiated.

The Castle is open free of charge to visitors daily from; 6th March - 2nd September. Access to the interior is by guided tour only, and I strongly recommend you take the fascinating tour to see the impressive long gallery, and to get a sense of life in Tudor period Ireland. For more information please see http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-East/OrmondCastle/. The site is one of the key stops along The Butler Trail, a great new initiative. Please see here for more information: http://www.discoverireland.ie/thebutlertrail

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All photographs © Neil Jackman /abartaheritage.ie