St. Dominick’s Dominican Priory

Located in the northern end of Cashel town stands the ruins of St Dominick’s Abbey. Founded by the Archbishop of Cashel, David McKelly Ó Giolla Phádraig, former Bishop of Cloyne, in 1243 as a Dominican priory and dedicated to St Dominick. In 1289 and 1307 St Dominick’s hosted two general chapters of the Dominican order in Ireland. In 1480 the abbey was burnt and rebuilt by Archbishop of Cashel, John Cantwell, who added the crossing tower and the tracery windows.

As a result of the dissolution of the monasteries St Dominick’s was surrendered by Prior Edward Brown in 1540. It was then granted to Walter Fleming in 1543 for a rent of slightly over £46. It appears a small congregation of Dominicans remained in situ with the last Dominican, John Conway, dying in the 1860’s.

The rectangular church, facing east to west, has a crossing tower, nave, choir, and transept. Overall construction used limestone, except for the 13^th century windows and doorways which are of yellow sandstone. The crossing tower was added in the 15^th century, and is three storeyed. Several medieval gave slabs are found in the nave, transept, and aisle, with a fragment of grave slab acting as a step into the chancel. Also found in the nave is a 13^th/14^th century sarcophagus. The nave also holds the stone carving of a female head, and the side-panel of the altar has symbols of the passion and a carved figure of Jesus.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014