North Abbey, Youghal

North Abbey, Youghal was a 13th-century Dominican Priory situated north of Youghal, County Cork, Ireland

History

North Abbey, Youghal

The Dominican Priory of North Abbey, Youghal was founded in 1268 by Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald, the second baron of Desmond, whose maternal grandfather, Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly, had founded the Franciscan Friary of South Abbey, Youghal.

The Dominican priory was initially dedicated to the Holy Cross, but was changed to 'Our Lady of Graces' in the late 15th century following the re-discovery of a small ivory statue of the Madonna and Child.

Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland written in 1837 said of it:

Thomas, whose son, in 1263 or 1271, founded a Dominican monastery, called the Friary of St. Mary of Thanks.

This statue had made Youghal the centre of Marian devotion for several centuries, but ended after the priory was dissolved in the 16th century. The statue can now be found in the St Mary's Dominican Priory in Cork City.

Samuel Lewis goes on to say in his that

The western gable and some of the eastern portions of the Dominican friary, at the north end of the town, still remain ... Near the south end of the town is a chapel of ease, a neat plain building, erected in 1817 on the cemetery of the ancient Dominican friary, at an expense of £1200, of which £900 was a gift from the late Board of First Fruits and £300 was raised by subscription

Today

Some ruins of the North Abbey can still be seen, and the area is also home to the main cemetery of Youghal.

Sources

• Samuel Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Cork)
• Youghal
• Youghal Priory
• South Abbey, Youghal
• Molana Abbey
• Rincrew Abbey