Castledermot Abbey is a Franciscan monastery located 5km from the small village of Castledermot. Although the site is partially in ruins, this monastery is well worth a visit for its architectural beauty, as well as its nearby round tower and Celtic crosses.
The Castledermot Monastery is one of the oldest Franciscan monasteries in County Kildare. Its construction dates back to around the 6th or 7th century, when Christianity was at its height in Ireland.
In those days, the monastery was an important cultural and religious center, bringing monks together to work on a wide range of subjects, from intellectual reflection to the production of beautifully calligraphed manuscripts adorned with gilding and interlacing.
The monastery was later enlarged to include a round tower and a small cemetery where the monks of the time were buried.
Castledermot Monastery is located a few kilometers from the town of the same name. Visits are free of charge. You’ll discover the beauty of the monastery’s surviving arches, the finesse of its carvings and vaults, and the imposing size of its round tower and 2 magnificently sculpted Celtic crosses.
The monastery is not clearly dated (it was probably built between the 6th and 7th centuries), but it appears to have had the oldest window in Western Europe. Researchers are said to have uncovered an intact window carved from a single block of stone: a rare find, which surely makes it one of the oldest Franciscan monasteries in Ireland!
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