The ruins of this abbey are extremely flattened but the general layout can be discerned. Only one building remains relatively intact, which has a fine vaulted roof with carved capitals in the 'supporting' columns. (I overheard one of the guides saying that this structure was used as a pigsty at some point!)
The most amazing structure though is the octagonal two storey lavabo which originally held a fountain. Near this are the remains of the cloisters.
There are good facilities here (toilets! phew) and guided tours are available from May to October for a reasonably small fee.
A great place to take the kids and let them run about in the history and the ruins.
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_All Sites Visited On 3rd June 2002 « Previous Site Next Site »
We wnated to somewhere to sit and chat aand relax, and although the ruins here are minimal it appealled to us. I would advise anyone visiting here to take the tour and go into the visitors centre (which is housed in the building used for Ireland's first Youth Hostel right next to the site). Within the visitor centre they have some of the lovely Romanesque carvings discoverred during excavations on display. Look out for the heads carved on corbels perching in the upper windows.
The tour guides (ours was Yvonne) are very well informed and very keen to share their enthusiasm for the site with you. This makes a very pleasant experience and it's only 2 euros for the tour and access to the centre. A bargian!
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_All Sites Visited On 13th July 2003 « Previous Site Next Site »
A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
 Forenaghts Great (Co. Kildare) |  Rahan (Co. Offaly) |  Killiney Church (Co. Dublin) |
 Rathkenny (Co. Meath) |  Kill Of The Grange (Co. Dublin) |  Palmerstown Lower (Co. Dublin) |
