kilcooly cistercian abbey

A Cistercian abbey founded from Jerpoint by Donal Mor O'Brien in 1182 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Benedict. The church, built around 1200, had a nave and two aisles, but after the almost complete destruction of the monastery in 1445, great reconstruction took place within the monastery and the church lost its two aisles. In the course of rebuilding, a new north transept and a tower were also added. The quality of the stonework in these additions is good, as attested by the carving on the two unusual seats at the top of the nave (one for the abbot, the other, possibly, for his deputy), and - even more unusual - the sculptures on the wall leading into the sacristy. Here there are carvings of the Crucifixion, St. Christopher, a bishop or abbot (probably St. Bernard) as well as a mermaid holding a mirror and accompanied by fish, and also the arms of the Butler family. There is a fine tranceried east window in the chancel, and good vaulting in the north transept. some fine tombs adorn the choir, including that of Piers Fitz Oge Butler (c.1526) signed by Rory O'Tunney (Roricus O Tuyne scripsit), and, on the floor, Abbot Philip (died 1463) who was probably largely responsible for the rebuilding.