Kilcooly Abbey Facts for Kids

Kilcooley Abbey is an old Cistercian abbey found near the village of Gortnahoe in County Tipperary, Ireland. It's located on the beautiful Kilcooley Estate. This abbey was started way back in 1182. A powerful leader named Donal Mor O’Brien gave land to the Cistercian monks. He wanted them to build a special place of worship here.

Kilcooley Abbey is like a sister abbey to Jerpoint Abbey and Holy Cross Abbey. Even though it's on private land, you can still visit it! After a big change in religion called the Reformation, the abbey was owned by the Earl of Ormond. Later, in the 1630s, it was given to a judge named Sir Jerome Alexander. His daughter Elizabeth inherited it, and then it passed through her family.

Exploring the Abbey's Buildings
Outside the Main Abbey
Kilcooley Abbey in Film
Notable Burials
Gallery
See also

Exploring the Abbey's Buildings

Kilcooley Abbey

The tower with the flamboyant east window below it

The main parts of Kilcooley Abbey include the entrance, the church, a tall tower, and the sacristy. When you enter, you'll see a carved baptismal font on the south wall of the entrance room. The main part of the church, called the nave, still has its roof. However, other parts of the church are open to the sky.

The church has two large, beautifully carved windows on its east and west sides. Inside the chancel, which is the area near the altar, you'll find two stone tombs and a stone altar. One of these tombs belongs to a knight named Piers Fitz Oge Butler. His tomb shows he died in 1526. It has carvings of 10 apostles on its side, made by Rory O Tunney. He was also known for his work at Jerpoint Abbey. On top of Butler's tomb, there's a statue of a knight with a dog curled up at his feet.

The sacristy is a room where priests would prepare for services. You enter it through a carved archway. This archway has many interesting carvings. You can see a scene showing the crucifixion and even a mermaid holding a mirror. The mermaid was a symbol of vanity, meaning being too proud of how you look. Some experts think this carved wall might have been the entrance to a private chapel for the Butler family. This is because two Butler family shields are carved there. The east end of the nave also has seats for the clergy, carved into the main pillars.

Outside the Main Abbey

Outside the abbey, there's a strange, beehive-shaped ruin. People aren't sure if it was a columbarium (a place to store ashes) or a dove-cote (a home for pigeons). It was most likely a dove-cote. This is because it has a 3-foot (1-meter) wide hole in the ceiling where pigeons could fly in and out. Also outside the abbey is the infirmary, which was a place for the sick. It's still in good shape, but you can't go onto its roof.

The cloisters of the abbey, which were covered walkways around a central garden, are mostly gone. Only one column remains. However, you can still see the path of the cloisters. There's a pebbled walkway around a grassy square, and a large tree grows in the center.

Next to where the cloisters once were, you can find the parlour and the chapter house. The parlour was a room for talking, and the chapter house was where monks met. The calefactory, which was a warming room, is also still there, but it doesn't have a roof. On the south side of the cloisters, the refectory (the monks' dining hall) still stands. It also has no roof, but it still has a spiral staircase inside. This staircase is now blocked off.

The rooms on the second floor include the dortoir, which was the monks' sleeping area. The main tower is also on this level. These areas are locked up by the Office of Public Works. The parlour, chapter house, and calefactory are also barred.

Kilcooley Abbey in Film

Kilcooley Abbey was even used as a filming location! It appeared in the movie "Excalibur" by John Boorman. This film tells the famous story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

There is also a pyramid-shaped building on the abbey grounds.