Moyne Abbey facts for kids
Moyne Abbey is a really old and impressive ruin in County Mayo, Ireland. It's considered a special National Monument, which means it's protected because of its history. You can find it north of Ballina, right by Killala Bay.
A Look Back at Moyne Abbey
How it Started
Moyne Abbey was built a long, long time ago, before the year 1455. The powerful McWilliam Bourke family helped start it. It was built as a home for Franciscan friars. These friars were a type of monk who lived simply and helped people. The abbey was officially opened in 1462.
A Time of Change
Later, in 1590, something big happened. A man named Sir Richard Bingham burned the abbey. He was the governor of Connacht for Queen Elizabeth I of England. He did this because of big changes happening in religion at that time, known as the Reformation. Even after the fire, it's thought that friars continued to live at Moyne Abbey until around the year 1800.
The Abbey's Design
Moyne Abbey was built in a style called late Irish Gothic. This means it has tall, pointed arches and large windows. The ruins you see today are quite large. They include a church and other buildings where the friars lived. These buildings are all built around a central cloister. A cloister is an open courtyard, usually with covered walkways around it. The main entrance on the west side was added later, in the 1600s. The east window of the church has really beautiful stone patterns called tracery.
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