What is recorded here

About 1151, Dermot the son of Murchad King of Leinster founded an Augustinian abbey for nuns, leaving behind a granite baptismal font, a supposedly holy well and a graveyard. The church itself has vanished, but the basin, water and buried ground still mark the shape of that lost house.

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of revision: 16 December 2009 Revised by: J. Farrelly O'Donovan (OSL 1839, 138-40) quotes Archdall Monasticon: '… about the year 1151 an Abbey was founded here, for nuns of the order of St. Augustine by Dermot the son of Murchad King of Leinster…' Aghade Rectory is mentioned in Inquisition of 1549 (JKAS 1933, 255) and shown on Down Survey (1655-6) map. Present remains consist of single basin bullaun stone (CW013-057003-) in granite boulder (the 'Baptismal Font') and unnamed but supposedly holy well (CW013-057004-). (Gwynn and Hadcock 1988, 372). There is an associated graveyard (CW013-057002-).

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