Ecclesiastical site

The National Monuments Service's description

St. Canice or Kenny, founder of the Abbey, and patron of the parish, of Aghaboe was born 515 or 516, in Glengiven, in then region of Cianachta in the present county of Londonderry (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 26). Aghaboe was founded by St. Canice not later than 577 (Carrigan 1905 vol. 2, 30). According to the Annals of Tigernach he died at Aghaboe in 600 AD. His feast day is celebrated on the 8th of March . In 1052 the church of Aghaboe was built and the shrine of St. Canice was placed in it. In 1172 Strongbow granted to Adam de Hereford the vill of Aghaboe and the entire half of the cantred of land in which it was situated. Around 1190 the see of Ossory was transferred from Aghaboe to Kilkenny. In 1234 the great church of Cill Cainnigh I.e. Atha-bo, was built by the successor (coarb) of Ciaran of Saighir. In 1346 the town and church of Aghaboe, together with the shrine containing the bones and relics of St. Canice, were burned by Dermot MacGillapatrick. In 1359 the castle of Aghaboe was taken from the English about this year by the MacGillaptraicks.
In 1382 the Abbey of Aghaboe, of which but the ruined church remains, was founded for Dominicans by the Lord of Ossory, Florence i.e. Finghin MacGillaptrick. In the year 1400 Phelans Chapel which is attached to the Abbey Church , on the South side was built. The monastery was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1540, in 1586 A Crown lease was made to Daniel Kelly, soldier, of 'the site of the house of friars of Athbowe in Osserye, in the country of McGillaptricke, and cottages and lands in Athbowe'.

Today the remains of the Abbey and the tower of the earlier thirteenth century church and medieval font are all that remains of this monastery of Aghaboe.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 17 December 2007