|
 Founded
in 1161 by the ruling MacDermott family, Boyle Abbey was a sister house to the
first Cistercian monastery in Mellifont, Co. Louth. Finally consecrated in 1220,
the abbey survived many years of attack during the feuds between the warring MacDermott
and O'Conor clans. Used as a military garrison during the 17th and 18th centuries,
the abbey continued to be subjected to raids, making its present well-preserved
condition all the more remarkable.
Built between the Romanesque and Gothic periods, the Abbey exhibits features of
both, the most notable being the row of rounded arches on one side of the nave
which faces a row of pointed arches on the other side. In contrast to the Cistercian
tradition of plain churches, the columns at the western end of the abbey are carved
with elaborate figures and animals. The visitors centre is housed in the restored
gatehouse.
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