Abbey (in ruins)

Located in mixed woodland on the floor of the Cappagh valley. This is probably a Fitzgerald castle, although in the absence of historical references, it is traditionally thought to have been owned by the Knights Templar (Archdall 1786, 685). It is marked as a ruin on a Taylor and Skinner map (1788, 166). This is a rectangular structure (int. dims. 6.6m N-S; 4.9m E-W) of which only the N wall survives to the first floor with evidence on the ground floor of a fireplace in the W wall, a window in the S wall and a projecting garderobe tower at the NW angle. A N-S barrel vault over the ground floor is now destroyed and the bawn (dims. c. 20m E-W; c. 15m N-S), defined by collapsed stone walls, is adjacent to the S. The cross-inscribed stone from Knockmaon church (WA030-042001-) is now outside the E wall of the bawn (Power 1918, 90). It is a granite block (min. dims. 2.25m x 0.7m; T 0.25m) with a ringed-cross in relief at the centre. (Redmond 1895, 262; O'Connell-Redmond 1918-19, 102) Archdall, M. (1786) Monasticon Hibernicum. Dublin. O'Connell-Redmond, G. (1918) The castles of north-east Cork and near its borders. JCHAS 24, 1-6, 62-6, 93-103, 145-51. Power, Rev. P. (1898a) Ancient ruined churches of Co. Waterford, WAJ 4, 83-95, 195-219. Redmond, G. (1885-6a) Notes on the history, antiquities, archaeoloical remains and legends connected with the western end of the county Waterford, JRSAI, 17, 394-405. Taylor, G. and Skinner, A. (1778) Maps of the roads of Ireland. Reprint 1969, ed. by J. H. Andrews. Irish University Press. Shannon. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 11th August, 2011. Compiled by: Michael Moore.

Probably built by the Fitzgerald family, it is traditionally associated with the Knights Templar, though without firm historical evidence; its location in the Cappagh valley reflects the strategic landholdings of Anglo-Norman families in the region.