The ruins of the abbey, accessible through land used for grazing cattle, are located in the grounds of Newhall House and Estate and include substantial remains of the abbey church together with a crypt. A narrow stone stairway leads between the altar and the east window to a ledge atop the remains of the south wall of the church, where an overview of the grounds may be seen with care.
St John’s well, a holy well and altar to the northeast of the nunnery, lies on the edge of Killone Abbey. An inscription records that the altar was last repaired by an Ennis merchant, Anthony Roche, in 1731. The altar is topped with several ‘cursing stones’ used for keeping count of the pilgrims’ rounds at the well. The rounds are associated with a Pilgrim’s Road connecting the site to Ennis town, although the nunnery itself does not form part of the well rounds.[2]
There is an outside mass each year in June held by the local parish.[3]
The property is on private land - it is part of Newhall Estate, owned by the Commane family,[4] However, as it is a national monument, guardianship is vested in the Office of Public Works.[5] A public right of way allows access to the site, as recorded by Tailte Éireann.[6][a]
Folkloreedit
Folklore has recorded so-called ‘corpse lights’ in the ruins of Killone, as well as at many other graveyards in Co. Clare. Killone Lake is also associated with the tale of a mermaid captured by one of the O’ Briens. He took her home, where she remained until it is said a fool tried to make her speak by throwing boiling water at her. Running back to the lake, she vowed:
“As the return of the salmon from the stream,
A return without blood or flesh,
May such be the departure of the O’Briens,
Like ears of wild corn from Killone.”
Soon after this curse, the O’ Briens vanished from Killone, never to possess it again.[2]
Galleryedit
Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection National Library of Ireland
^Tailte Éireann is the official body incorporating the former offices of the Valuation Office, Land Registry, and Ordnance Survey Ireland. It operates a website, landdirect.ie, which can be searched to show townlands. Searching For Newhall townland on the OSI base layer, with the option to show Land Registry overlays, highlights the public right of way.
Referencesedit
^"Cill Eoin/Killone". Logainm.ie. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
^ ab"Monastic Ireland". Monastic.ie. 14 April 2024.
^"Mass at St John's Well – a very special occasion". Clarecastle Community Development. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"National Monuments, Dáil Éireann debate". The Oireachtas. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
^"Land Direct". Land Direct: Map of Freehold ID 5237986. Property Registration Authority. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
Sourcesedit
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.
External linksedit
Ruins of Killone Abbey
Lawrence Collection Killone Abbey 1890
May 03, 2024
killone, abbey, irish, mainistir, chill, eoin, situated, killone, some, kilometres, south, ennis, county, clare, nunnery, abbey, canonesses, regular, founded, 1190, donal, brien, donal, great, brien, king, thomond, munster, dedicated, saint, john, lies, banks,. Killone Abbey Irish Mainistir Chill Eoin 1 situated in Killone some 5 kilometres south of Ennis County Clare was a nunnery and abbey of Canonesses Regular founded in 1190 by Donal Mor O Brien Donal the Great O Brien King of Thomond and Munster and dedicated to Saint John It lies on the banks of Killone Lake Killone AbbeyReligionAffiliationAugustinian Pre Reformation CatholicLocationShown within IrelandGeographic coordinates52 48 22 32 N 9 0 15 62 W 52 8062000 N 9 0043389 W 52 8062000 9 0043389ArchitectureGroundbreakingfounded c 1189 or monks founded 1120 MaterialssandstoneWebsitehttp www newhall ie The ruins of the abbey accessible through land used for grazing cattle are located in the grounds of Newhall House and Estate and include substantial remains of the abbey church together with a crypt A narrow stone stairway leads between the altar and the east window to a ledge atop the remains of the south wall of the church where an overview of the grounds may be seen with care Contents 1 Saint John s Holy Well 2 Folklore 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksSaint John s Holy Well editSt John s well a holy well and altar to the northeast of the nunnery lies on the edge of Killone Abbey An inscription records that the altar was last repaired by an Ennis merchant Anthony Roche in 1731 The altar is topped with several cursing stones used for keeping count of the pilgrims rounds at the well The rounds are associated with a Pilgrim s Road connecting the site to Ennis town although the nunnery itself does not form part of the well rounds 2 There is an outside mass each year in June held by the local parish 3 The property is on private land it is part of Newhall Estate owned by the Commane family 4 However as it is a national monument guardianship is vested in the Office of Public Works 5 A public right of way allows access to the site as recorded by Tailte Eireann 6 a Folklore editFolklore has recorded so called corpse lights in the ruins of Killone as well as at many other graveyards in Co Clare Killone Lake is also associated with the tale of a mermaid captured by one of the O Briens He took her home where she remained until it is said a fool tried to make her speak by throwing boiling water at her Running back to the lake she vowed As the return of the salmon from the stream A return without blood or flesh May such be the departure of the O Briens Like ears of wild corn from Killone Soon after this curse the O Briens vanished from Killone never to possess it again 2 Gallery edit nbsp Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection National Library of Ireland nbsp Killone Abbey 1890 Lawrence Collection nbsp Killone Abbey nbsp Killone Abbey Graveyard Ennis nbsp Killone Abbey Graveyard EnnisSee also editList of abbeys and priories in Ireland County Clare Notes edit Tailte Eireann is the official body incorporating the former offices of the Valuation Office Land Registry and Ordnance Survey Ireland It operates a website landdirect ie which can be searched to show townlands Searching For Newhall townland on the OSI base layer with the option to show Land Registry overlays highlights the public right of way References edit Cill Eoin Killone Logainm ie Retrieved 8 July 2021 a b Monastic Ireland Monastic ie 14 April 2024 Mass at St John s Well a very special occasion Clarecastle Community Development 1 May 2024 Retrieved 1 May 2024 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Newhall Estate 23 February 2024 National Monuments Dail Eireann debate The Oireachtas 16 June 2015 Retrieved 2 May 2024 Land Direct Land Direct Map of Freehold ID 5237986 Property Registration Authority Retrieved 9 July 2023 Sources editGlichrist R Gender and Material Culture The Archaeology of Religious Women London 1994 o Dalaigh B Mistress Mother and Abbess Renalda Ni 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 External links editRuins of Killone Abbey Lawrence Collection Killone Abbey 1890 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Killone Abbey amp oldid 1221874083, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
