Turlough Abbey

Turlough Abbey

Mainistir Thurlaigh
Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Established	c. AD 500–520
Disestablished	1635
Diocese	Tuam
People
Founder(s)	Saint Patrick
Architecture
Status	ruined
Heritage designation	Designations National monument of Ireland Official name Turlough Church & Round Tower Reference no. 100
Site
Location	Turlough, County Mayo
Coordinates	53.888741°N 9.208270°W / 53.888741; -9.208270
Visible remains	church and round tower
Public access	yes

Turlough Abbey is a former monastery and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.^[1][2][3]

Location

Turlough Abbey is located about 600 m (650 yd) northeast of Turlough village.^[4]

History

Turlough church and round tower at sunset

Turlough round tower

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]

Buildings

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.

References

1. "Turlough Abbey - Irish Round Tower! - Barclaycard Travel Community".
2. Davenport, Fionn (1 January 2010). Ireland. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781742203508 – via Google Books.
3. Planet, Lonely; Davenport, Fionn; Harper, Damian; Nevez, Catherine Le; Berkmoes, Ryan Ver; Wilson, Neil (1 March 2016). Lonely Planet Ireland. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781760341237 – via Google Books.
4. Guides, Sunflower (1 March 2004). Ireland. Hunter Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781856912433 – via Google Books.
5. Cockroach. "Turlough Round Tower - ticket prices and opening hours information - map".
6. Heritage Site: Turlough Abbey near Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Cultural Heritage Ireland
7. Turlough Abbey Co Mayo, Ireland in Ruins (blog), 27 September 2016

External links

• "Turlough abbey in the fog". Images of Mayo.
• Video on YouTube