| Clare Island Abbey | |||||||||
| Other Names: | St. Brigid's Abbey, Mainister-ni-clarch; Cliara; Cleara; Clara; Insula Maris; Oilen-ui-maile | ||||||||
| Native Name: | Mainistir Chliara | ||||||||
| Native Name Lang: | ga | ||||||||
| Order: | Cistercians | ||||||||
| Established: | 12th century | ||||||||
| Disestablished: | 17th century | ||||||||
| Diocese: | Tuam | ||||||||
| Status: | inactive | ||||||||
| Style: | Cistercian | ||||||||
| Location: | Lecarrow, Clare Island, County Mayo | ||||||||
| Coordinates: | 53.7932°N -9.9891°W | ||||||||
| Map Type: | Ireland | ||||||||
| Public Access: | yes | ||||||||
| Mother: | Knockmoy Abbey | ||||||||
| Embedded: |
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Clare Island Abbey, officially St. Brigid's Abbey, is a former Cistercian monastery and National Monument located in Clare Island, County Mayo, Ireland.[1] [2]
Clare Island Abbey is located in the centre of the south part of Clare Island, near the post office.[3]
Saint Bridget`s Abbey was founded in the 12th/13th century and in 1224 became a cell of Knockmoy Abbey, a Cistercian abbey near Tuam.
It was rebuilt . It contains numerous tombs of the local ruling family, the Ó Máille (O'Malley) and tradition claims it as the site of the baptism, marriages and burial of Gráinne "Grace" O'Malley (c. 1530 – c. 1603), the famous "pirate queen." She is believed to have been interred at the O'Malley tomb which has a canopy.
The abbey was probably dissolved during the late 16th century. Later it was a place of refuge for Carmelite Friars.
The abbey is furnished with piscina, sedilia, carved heads and ogee and cusp-headed lancet windows.[4] [5]
Clare Island Abbey contains a series of medieval wall and ceiling paintings. They depict mythical, human and animal figures including dragons, a cockerel, stags, men on foot and on horseback, a harper, birds and trees. Such ornamentation is unusual for a Cistercian foundation.[6]