Ireland is a land of monasteries… The proof is in the beautiful Muckross Abbey, a Franciscan monastery located in the heart of Killarney National Park (Co. Kerry). You’ll fall in love with its ruins, cloister and mysteriously charming corridors. A place whose walls have been shaped by centuries of history and tradition! Not to mention the breathtaking, unspoilt scenery all around!
A room at Muckross Abbey – © Links Productions
Muckross Abbey was built in 1448, under the direction of Donal McCarthy Mor, an Irish Franciscan monk.
His ambition was to make it a place of prayer and worship for his Franciscan brothers of the Observance.
Unfortunately for the abbey, the building suffered the violence of Irish history, and was destroyed only to be rebuilt several times. Muckross Abbey is under attack from looters in search of valuables and other sacred relics.
In 1652, Oliver Cromwell also attacked the monastery, burning it down without remorse.
The monastery was then rebuilt, and over the years has suffered the ravages of time, history and human intervention.
Over the course of its existence, Muckross Abbey has hosted the tombs of 3 great Irish chieftains: the McCarthys, the O’Sullivans and the O’Donoghes. Some of the great poets of the 17th and 18th centuries are also buried there (Aogán O’Rathaille and O’Suilleabhain…).
Muckross abbey – © robnaw
Muckross Abbey can still be visited today, although the site is partially in ruins.
And, let’s face it, that’s what makes it so appealing! The place is magical, all the more so with its inner courtyard, featuring a magnificent tree straight out of a Tolkien novel! As the tree grew, it seemed to have turned, so that it looked as if it was moving right in the middle of the cloister! The trunk is sublime!
As for the rest, the abbey has lost its roof, but most of its Gothic walls and sculptures are still intact. However, some areas are still undergoing major renovations: some structures are in a state of disrepair, so don’t be surprised if you come across some scaffolding on your way.
Don’t miss the small abbey cemetery a little further on, where you’ll come across the graves of some of Ireland’s greatest names. Here you can admire magnificent Celtic crosses carved in stone, used as funerary stele for the deceased.
No matter where you are in the building, you’ll sense a dazzling charm and authenticity. A place steeped in history, where the stones, in their silence, are curiously eloquent. A must-see for lovers of romantic places!
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