Turlough Abbey is a former monastery and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.[1][2][3]
Mainistir Thurlaigh | |||||||||
Location within Ireland | |||||||||
Monastery information | |||||||||
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Established | c. AD 500–520 | ||||||||
Disestablished | 1635 | ||||||||
Diocese | Tuam | ||||||||
People | |||||||||
Founder(s) | Saint Patrick | ||||||||
Architecture | |||||||||
Status | ruined | ||||||||
Heritage designation |
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Site | |||||||||
Location | Turlough, County Mayo | ||||||||
Coordinates | 53°53′19″N 9°12′30″W / 53.888741°N 9.208270°W | ||||||||
Visible remains | church and round tower | ||||||||
Public access | yes |
Turlough Abbey is located about 600 m (650 yd) northeast of Turlough village.[4]
Turlough is an early monastic site, possibly founded in AD 441 by Saint Patrick.[citation needed]
In the ninth century an unusual low and squat round tower was constructed at the site.[5]
In 1302 the Abbey was valued for the ecclesiastical taxation of Ireland. The Abbey survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries and a crucifixion plaque dated 1625 is an example of Counter-Reformation iconography.[citation needed]
The Abbey was finally dissolved and granted to Walter Burke or John Fitzgerald by King Charles I in 1635.[citation needed]
The site passed to the Fitzgeralds in 1653 and they were presumably responsible for the 18th century cruciform church with three round-headed windows in the chancel. Three crucifixion plaques have been built into the church. There is also the tomb of George Robert FitzGerald dated 1786.[6][7]
The round tower is relatively low at 23 m (75 ft) tall, and wide with a rounded-headed doorway and four square-headed windows.[5] It has a round-headed doorway 4 m (13 ft) above ground level.