Boyle Abbey facts for kids
| Mainistir na Búille | |
The interior of Boyle Abbey, looking east through the nave
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 Location in Ireland
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| Monastery information | |
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| Order | Cistercians |
| Established | 1218 |
| Disestablished | 1592 |
| Diocese | Elphin |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Mac Diarmada family |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Style | Cistercian |
| Site | |
| Location | Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°58′25″N 8°17′49″W / 53.97361°N 8.29694°W |
| Public access | Yes |
| Official name | Boyle Abbey |
Boyle Abbey (Irish: Mainistir na Búille) is an old Cistercian monastery in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland. It is now in ruins, but you can still visit it. Saint Malachy helped to start it in the 12th century.
Contents
Discovering Boyle Abbey's Past
Boyle Abbey has a long and interesting history. It was built by a group of monks called the Cistercians.
How Cistercian Monks Came to Ireland
In the 1100s, Saint Malachy learned about two new groups of monks in France. These were the Cistercians and the Augustinians. He wanted to bring them to Ireland. He hoped they would help improve the old Irish church.
The first Cistercian monastery in Ireland was Mellifont Abbey. It was built in County Louth in 1142. Young Irish men who wanted to become Cistercian monks went to France for training. They learned at St Bernard's own monastery, Clairvaux Abbey.
Finding the Right Place for Boyle Abbey
The Cistercian monks were invited to set up a monastery in an area called Moylurg. This new monastery would be connected to Mellifont. In 1148, a monk named Peter O’Mordha and twelve friends came to Connacht.
They tried a few different spots before choosing Boyle. Monks who were vegetarians needed good farmland. They also needed a way to get running water to their monastery. They were offered an old Celtic monastery called Eas Mic nEirc. This place was near a river crossing.
A local leader, Taoiseach McGreevy, gave this old monastery to the Cistercians. He gave it to them "pure free and perpetual alms." This meant they could keep it forever, with no conditions.
Building and Growing the Abbey
The Cistercians were welcomed in the area. Over many years, they received large land gifts. These lands were about 50,000 acres (200 square kilometers). They were spread out in 27 smaller farms called granges.
The monks found the first site unsuitable. It was too high above the river. So, they built the abbey a few kilometers east, at its current location. This new spot was better for their needs. They could easily get running water for cooking, washing, and toilets. It was also good for mills and fish ponds.
Boyle Abbey was officially started in 1161.
Challenges and Changes Over Time
The monastery did well at first. It even helped start two other monasteries: Knockmoy Abbey in County Galway and Assaroe Abbey in County Donegal. By 1174, Boyle was officially recognized as an Abbey.
However, the buildings took a long time to finish. They were not completed until about 1218. This was partly because of a war in 1202. During this war, the abbey was taken over and badly damaged. You can still see different building styles in the church today. This shows where repairs were made.
The abbey faced more troubles later. In the 1220s, it was part of a big disagreement called ‘The Conspiracy of Mellifont’. Mellifont Abbey and its connected monasteries tried to break away from Norman control. After this, Boyle Abbey was attacked several times, like in 1235 and 1284.
Later, new groups of monks, called friars, came to Ireland. These included the Franciscans and Dominicans. They offered a different way of life. Because of this, fewer lay brothers worked on the granges. So, many of the granges were rented out.
By the late 1400s, the local chieftain's family seemed to take control of the abbey. One of their family members often became the abbot. When the abbey was closed down under Queen Elizabeth, the Cistercians were allowed to stay for a while. The last abbot, Gelasius Ó Cuileanáin, died in Dublin in 1580 during a difficult time.
Exploring Boyle Abbey's Architecture
Boyle Abbey was built following a common Cistercian design. It had a church on the north side of a rectangular cloister. A cloister is an open courtyard surrounded by covered walkways.
Layout of the Monastery
- The church was on one side.
- A chapter house for monk meetings was on another side.
- The kitchen and dining hall (refectory) were on a third side.
- Storehouses and sleeping areas (dormitory) were likely on the fourth side.
Only small parts of the cloister remain today. It was used as a military barracks in 1592 by the Elizabethans. Later, the Cromwellians also used it and attacked it in 1645. This, along with stone being taken for other buildings, caused much of the cloister to be lost.
Key Features of the Church
Despite the damage, the ruins are still impressive. A short, square tower stands above the center of the church. This tower was added in the 1200s.
The church follows the Cistercian style. It has a main hall called a nave with side aisles. There are also transepts, which are arms extending out from the sides of the church. Each transept has two small chapels. The main altar area is called the chancel. Its original windows were replaced in the 1200s.
The design of the abbey was influenced by styles from Burgundy, France. This is where the Cistercians came from. However, many details in the nave, especially the round pillars of the south arcade, look like styles from the West of England.
The decorated corbels (support stones) and capitals (tops of pillars) were probably carved by local builders. Some of these carvings are from a group known as the ‘School of the West’. They created some of the most creative stone sculptures in western Ireland during the early 1200s.
Boyle Abbey Today
Today, Boyle Abbey is a national monument. It is cared for by the state. You can visit the abbey for a small fee. It is located in the town of Boyle, County Roscommon.
Australian Connection
A small piece of stone from Boyle Abbey traveled a very long way! It was placed on the headstone of an Irishman named Bartholomew Higgins. His grave is in the Rookwood Necropolis in Sydney, Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Abadía de Boyle para niños
