Religious house — Franciscan friars in Nicholastown (kilcullen Ed)

In a graveyard (KD028-040001-) near the S bank of the River Liffey. According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 251-2), ‘New Abbey’ was founded in 1486 for the Observant Franciscans by Roland FitzEustace, who was burial here in 1496 [Effigial tomb: KD028-040002-]. It was suppressed in 1539 when it comprised, 'a church and belfry, dormitory hall, two chambers, kitchen, cemetery and orchard garden with a small close of 8 acres’. In 1540, ‘the church and house [were] in good repair’ (ibid). The ruins were sketched and briefly described in 1782 by Austin Cooper, who commented, ‘At present the choir, refectory and confessional chapel only remain entire. In the centre formerly stood a beautiful steeple, which fell down about eighteen years ago.’ (Fitzgerald 1901, 307-9) Cooper’s sketch shows a long nave and chancel with a large transept, large traceried windows in the gable walls, and double ogee headed windows with square hoods in the S wall of the chancel (ibid. 307). According to Fenton (1935-45, 219), the walls were demolished very soon after [1782] to furnish materials for a new chapel erected on the site, which itself was demolished in 1872 when the present Catholic church building was completed. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 18 February 2013