Cahir Abbey is a beautiful 12^th century Augustinian Priory located in the historic South Tipperary town of the same name and on the west bank of the River Suir. The abbey’s correct title is the Priory of the Canons Regular of the Order of St Augustine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was funded by a Norman Knight named Galfrid de Camville circa 1220. It is believed that the church itself may have already been established and was adapted at the time of de Camville’s endowment to the Augustinians. This is suggested due to the fact that at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was stated that the church itself had been in existence as the local parish church since ‘time immemorial’. The earliest buildings are the church and cloister with other buildings to its north, the domestic buildings in the south section of the abbey included a sacristy, chapter house, a kitchen and a dining room. In the 15^th century at the west end of the chancel the colossal ‘crossing tower’ was built. In the 16^th century this tower was remodelled and repurposed as a residence and the nave was destroyed and a second tower was built in the south east corner of the cloister. The last Prior was an Edmund O’Lonergan who surrendered the buildings to Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. As the church was deemed the parish church this did not fall under the remit of the Dissolution, however all other remaining buildings were granted to Sir Thomas Butler, who became Baron of Cahir in 1542. Sir Thomas was married to Eleanor Butler, the 5^th daughter of Piers Butler who was the 8^th Earl of Ormond. The Abbey stayed in the ownership of the Butler’s for another 400 years. Cahir Abbey is a peaceful and somewhat under visited attraction, obviously standing in the shadow of the nearby Castle, but it is well worth a visit as the carvings on the east and north chancel windows are absolutely fantastic.

GPS: 52.37953, -7.9283