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 Abbey | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Augustinian Pre-Reformation Catholic |
Location | |
Shown within Ireland | |
Geographic coordinates | 52°48′22.32″N 9°0′15.62″W / 52.8062000°N 9.0043389°W |
Architecture | |
Groundbreaking | founded c.1189 (or monks founded 1120) |
Materials | sandstone |
Website | |
http://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.
The property is on private land part of Newhall Estate owned by the Commane family,[2] but as it is a national monument, ownership is vested in the Office of Public Works. A public right of way allows access to the site, as recorded by Tailte Éireann.[3][a]
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.[4]