Duiske Abbey

Last updated
Duiske Abbey
Graiguenamanagh Abbey
Mainistir an Dubhuisce
Graiguenamanach Choir Window SE 1997 08 27.jpg
Choir window as seen from South East
Ireland adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Duiske Abbey
Location within Ireland
52°32′28.15″N6°57′16.79″W / 52.5411528°N 6.9546639°W / 52.5411528; -6.9546639
LocationAbbey Street, Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Denomination Roman Catholic
Religious institute Cistercians
Website Graignamanagh Parish
History
StatusActive as parochial church
Founded1204
Founder(s) William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Architecture
Style English Gothic, gothic, romanesque
Administration
Diocese Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
Official nameDuiske Abbey
Reference no.620

Duiske Abbey National Monument, also known as Graiguenamanagh Abbey, is a 13th-century Cistercian monastery situated in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny in Ireland. [1] [2]

Contents

Duiske Abbey was founded by William Marshal in 1204 and is one of the first, largest and perhaps the finest of the thirty-four medieval Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. The Abbey is the parish church of Graiguenamanagh town and beautifully dominates the town centre.

The Abbey is located in the valley of the river Barrow, on a site between the main river and the Duiske tributary. The abbey derives its name from the Douskey River Irish : An Dubhuisce, meaning 'Black Water'. [3]

History

Duiske Abbey as seen Abbey Street Graiguenamanach NW 1997 08 27.jpg
Duiske Abbey as seen Abbey Street

The Abbey was founded in 1204 by William Marshall the elder, earl of Pembroke, and was colonised with monks from Stanley in Wiltshire. The monks may not have arrived at Graiguenamangh until 1207, but it seems that building may have begun in 1204 when the cemetery at Duiske was consecrated. Prior to their relocation to Graiguenamanagh, the monks initially established a settlement at Annamult near Bennettsbridge, constructing a castle and round tower, the ruins of which are still visible.

In 1228 the religious community was fixed at thirty-six monks and fifty lay-brothers which was almost as large as Mellifont Abbey. The abbot of Duiske sat as a peer in parliament at that time.

The Abbey was suppressed under Henry VIII in 1536 and the last abbot, Charles O'Cavanagh, resigned his title. Monks continued to occupy it but it began to fall into ruin. Following the dissolution the lands were awarded to James Butler of Duiske. The abbey church continued to be used as a local place of worship. The Church of Ireland re-roofed the west end after the tower collapsed into the nave in 1744. The church was returned to the Roman Catholic community in 1812 and restoration was completed in the 1980s. Currently it is used as a parish church and music events are held there. [4]

Building

Duiske Abbey was one of the first, largest and perhaps the finest of the thirty-four medieval Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. Much of the abbey was constructed with yellow limestone brought across the Irish Sea from quarries at Dundry, outside Bristol.

Significant remains of the monastery still exist and the remains are fully restored as an early Cistercian Church. Original medieval floor tiles from the original building can be seen in the abbey along with the beautiful "Early English" gothic and romanesque architecture. Some of the 13th-century stonework can still be seen, including still-leaf foliage carved into the capitals, dog-tooth ornaments and banded shafts. It contains many Lancet windows.

An effigy of a 13th-century Norman Knight found in the ruins is installed by the main entrance. He is depicted seizing a sword and is carved with great attention to detail. It is one of the finest medieval effigies in Ireland. In its northern aisle a model of the monastery shows the abbey as it was in the 14th century. Explanation plaques are at various points in the Abbey. In the nearby Abbey Centre there is an exhibition of contemporary Christian Art and local historic artefacts.

See also

Notes

  1. "Cistercian Abbeys: Duiske (Graiguenamanagh)", cistercians.shef.ac.uk
  2. Bradley 1981
  3. "Douskey River (river)". logainm.ie. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  4. "Duiske Concerts", duiskeconcerts.ie, archived from the original on 20 October 2010, retrieved 27 October 2010

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cistercians</span> Catholic religious order

The Cistercians, officially the Order of Cistercians, are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contributions of the highly-influential Bernard of Clairvaux, known as the Latin Rule. They are also known as Bernardines, after Saint Bernard himself, or as White Monks, in reference to the colour of the "cuculla" or cowl worn by the Cistercians over their habits, as opposed to the black cowl worn by Benedictines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Kilkenny</span> County in Ireland

County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the county. At the 2022 census the population of the county was 103,685. The county was based on the historic Gaelic kingdom of Ossory (Osraighe), which was coterminous with the Diocese of Ossory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graiguenamanagh</span> Town in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Graiguenamanagh or Graignamanagh is a town on the River Barrow in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Part of the settlement, known as Tinnahinch, is on the County Carlow side of the river, and Carlow County Council refers to the whole village as "Graiguenamanagh-Tinnahinch". Also combined for census purposes, as of the 2022 census, Graiguenamanagh-Tinnahinch had a population of 1,506 people. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomastown, County Kilkenny</span> Town in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Thomastown, historically known as Grennan, is a town in County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. It is a market town along a stretch of the River Nore which is known for its salmon and trout, with a number of historical landmarks in the vicinity. Visitor attractions include Jerpoint Abbey, Kilfane Glen gardens, and Mount Juliet Golf Course. The town is in a civil parish of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callan, County Kilkenny</span> Town in County Killkenny, Ireland

Callan is a town and civil parish in County Kilkenny in Ireland. Situated 16 km (10 mi) south of Kilkenny on the N76 road to Clonmel, it is near the border with County Tipperary. It is the second largest town in the county, and had a population of 2,475 at the 2016 census. Callan is the chief town of the barony of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bordesley Abbey</span> Cistercian abbey near Redditch, Worcestershire, England

Bordesley Abbey was a 12th-century Cistercian abbey near the town of Redditch, in Worcestershire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaraka Monastery</span>

Zaraka Monastery is a ruined Frankish abbey near Stymfalia, in the Peloponnese, in Greece. It was built about a kilometre from the shores of Lake Stymphalia, the site of the ancient city of Stymphalus, during the "Frankokratia", i.e. the occupation of parts of the Byzantine Empire by Franks and Venetians, following the events of the Fourth Crusade in 1204, and the establishment of the Latin Empire of Constantinople and Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbey of Fontenay</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site in Côte-dOr, France

The Abbey of Fontenay is a former Cistercian abbey located in the commune of Marmagne, near Montbard, in the département of Côte-d'Or in France. It was founded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118, and built in the Romanesque style. It is one of the oldest and most complete Cistercian abbeys in Europe, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. Of the original complex comprising church, dormitory, cloister, chapter house, caldarium, refectory, dovecote and forge, all remain intact except the refectory and are well maintained. The Abbey of Fontenay, along with other Cistercian abbeys, forms a connecting link between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerpoint Abbey</span> Ruined Cistercian abbey in Kilkenny, Ireland

Jerpoint Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey, founded in the second half of the 12th century in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located 2.5 km south west of Thomastown on the R448 regional road. There is a visitor centre with an exhibition. It has been declared a national monument and has been in the care of the Office of Public Works since 1880.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rothe House</span> 16th-century merchants townhouse complex

Rothe House is a late 16th-century merchant's townhouse complex located in the city of Kilkenny, Ireland. The complex was built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594–1610 and is made up of three houses, three enclosed courtyards, and a large reconstructed garden with orchard. As a museum, it is accessible to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corcomroe Abbey</span> Ruined Cistercian friary in Clare, Ireland

Corcomroe Abbey is an early 13th-century Cistercian monastery located in the north of the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland, a few miles east of the village of Ballyvaughan in the Barony of Burren. It was once known as "St. Mary of the Fertile Rock", a reference to the Burren's fertile soil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strata Marcella</span>

The Abbey of Strata Marcella was a medieval Cistercian monastery situated at Ystrad Marchell on the west bank of the River Severn near Welshpool, Powys, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gortnahoe</span> Village in Munster, Ireland

Gortnahoe, also known as Gortnahoo, is a village in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located on the R689 regional road 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Urlingford, County Kilkenny. It is 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of the N8 Dublin - Cork road. Gortnahoe, pronounced "Gurt/na/hoo" by the locals, is part of the parish of Gortnahoe–Glengoole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbeymahon Abbey</span> Ruined Cistercian abbey in Meath, Ireland

Abbeymahon Abbey, also known as The Cistercian Abbey of St Mary de Fonte Vivo, and as the Abbey of Sancto Mauro is a ruined medieval Cistercian abbey situated near Timoleague, County Cork, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Canice's Cathedral</span> Church of Ireland cathedral in County Kilkenny, Ireland

St Canice's Cathedral, also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Kilkenny city, Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin. Previously the cathedral of the Diocese of Ossory, it is now one of six cathedrals in the United Dioceses of Cashel and Ossory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomb of Saint Nicholas</span> Irish historical site

The tomb of Saint Nicholas is a slab effigy in low relief of an early 4th-century ecclesiastic popularly associated with Saint Nicholas of Myra in County Kilkenny, Ireland. While more probably a local priest from Jerpoint Abbey, it lies in the medieval lost town of Newtown Jerpoint, just west of the Cistercian Jerpoint Abbey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gowran (barony)</span> Barony in County Kilkenny, Ireland

Gowran is a barony in the east of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The size of the barony is 430.5 square kilometres (166.2 sq mi). There are 35 civil parishes in Gowran. The chief town today is Gowran. The barony contains the ecclesiastical sites of Kilfane and Duiske Abbey The barony of Gowran is situated in the east of the county between the baronies of Fassadinin to the north, the baronies of Kilkenny, Shillelogher and Knocktopher to the west, and the barony of Ida is to the south. It borders County Carlow to the east. The M9 motorway bisects the barony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltinglass Abbey</span> 12th century abbey in County Wicklow, Ireland

Baltinglass Abbey is a ruined medieval Cistercian abbey in Baltinglass, County Wicklow, Ireland. Founded by Diarmait Mac Murchada in 1148, the abbey was suppressed in 1536. It is today a National Monument.

The Annals of Duiske is an Irish annal, created from 1513.

References

Further reading