Boyle Nunnery

Marked as a church on a manuscript map of 1770 in NLI (ms. 21. F. 13 (10)), and described as a nunnery on the 1837 ed. of the OS 6-inch map (OS Name Books). It was connected with the Cistercian monastery of Boyle (RO006-068005-). Situated on the crest of a low rise overlooking the E end of Lower Lough Gara which is now reclaimed, the S shore of which was c. 100m to the N. Circular grass-covered area (diam. 60m E-W) defined by a scarp (H 0.1-1.1m) W-E. A farmyard impinges on the perimeter at E, which cannot be traced E-S-W but the outline of the enclosure (diam. c. 75m) can be seen on the OSI aerial images (2005). There is a local tradition of a graveyard (RO005-013002-) (Gannon 1972). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

The Boyle Nunnery at Coolnagranshy was likely founded in the 13th century as a Cistercian nunnery associated with the Abbey of Boyle. It reflects the spread of Cistercian monasticism in Ireland and was significant as a religious and community center in the medieval period.