Convent (in ruins) — Abington

Situated on a slight rise of ground immediately S of a medieval parish church (LI014-014005-) and graveyard (LI014-014006-) and 70m N of the Mulkear River, corn mill (LI014-014007-) and 17th century bridge (LI014-014008-). In 1907 Seymour (1907, 180) suggested that the ‘true site of the abbey must be sought a little higher up from the river, where the ground is flat, and it may have stood, in whole or in part, on the site now occupied by the present graveyard (LI014-014006-)’. A deserted medieval settlement (LI014-014001-) appears to have been located in the fields to the SE of the abbey. Two fish weirs (LI014-014014-/-015-) possibly belonging to the abbey were located in the Mulkear River immediately S of the abbey buildings. Cistercian monastery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Cal. papal letters, 1495-1403, 241) known as Mainistir Uaithne, Woney or Owney, the monastery of Abington or Abbey Owney founded by Theobald Walter, Butler of Ireland in 1205 for a colony of monks from Furness in Lancashire (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 126). In 1540 a 'Charter for the abbey of the B.V.M. of Wothonia, diocese of Emly, of the Cistercian order, with assent of James, earl of Ormond and Ossory, its founder and patron; transforming it to a secular provostry (prepositura); John Ryane, late abbot, to be provost' (Nicholls 1994, 21). In 1552 a 21 year lease was granted to Walter Ap Howell which included the 'site of the abbey of Wony, county Limerick, lands of Wony, Caslane boenaghe, Killenevnoke, Knocknegurtyn, Ragraige, Anaghe, Kappeynowke, Kappecullyn, and Lismollan, county Limerick; Cloankitt, county Kerry; the rectory of Wony, which extends to the towns of Wony Anaghe, Keppeynowke, Kappecullyn, Lysmolan, and Clonekitte; the rectory of Carkynlishe, extending to Carkynlishe, Brittas and Castelorkyn; the rectory of Killyvoily ; the rectory of Raiordan ; the rectory of Cayrrelly ; the rectory of Tharles, extending to Thurles, Archereston, Brittas, Killenan, Galwolle, Cassesston, and to certain places in Eliogortie; the rectory of Raheille, extending to Raheille, Syan, and Aenytt; the rectory of Wony Ikirryn, extending to Wony Ikyrryn, Twowynne, Monetample, Moyne, Bally[erke], and Garrynele; the rectory of Twoballyissyn, extending to Twoballyissin, Tollo, Ballenetample, Ballynehianes, Ballyneknockan, and Clanclenoiske; the rectory of Enagh in Ormond, extending to Enaghe, Bradir, and Tullaghedde; the rectory of Cnoyaghe in Ormond; the rectory of Arcloo, extending to Arcloo, Kilneyeige, and Kilranellaghe ; and the rectory of Tullaghe, extending to Tollo, Tankardiston, Rathville, Ramore, and Raglass' (ibid., 195). In 1557 a royal pardon as granted to 'Donald O'Mulryan, of the Monastery of Uathine, county Limerick, clerk' (Nicholls 1994, 311). In 1562 a royal grant was issued to Peter Walsh of Grange, Co. Kilkenny which included the 'the site of the abbey of Wony, co. Limerick, the lands of Wony. Caslane Boenagh, Kyllenevenoke, Cnoknegurtyn alias Knocknegustone, Rathereaghe alias Raegreige, Kappennowke alias Kappenowke, Kappecullan, [Lismullan, and Anagh], co. Limerick: and Clonkytt alias Clonkyll, co. Kerry; the rectories of Wony, Carkynleshe, Ballywailye, Raiordane; and Cayrrelly, co. Limerick; Thurles, Raheille, Wony Iskyrryn, Twoballyssyn, Enaghe in Ormond, and Cnoyaghe, co. Tipperary; Arclo and Tullaghfelym, co. Carlow. To hold in fee-farm for ever, by the service of a twentieth part of a knight's fee, at a rent of [£57] 2s: 3d. [Finding curates for the churches, and maintaining one horseman.]' (Nicholls 1994, 51-2). Peter Walsh of Owney died 20 June 1575 and was succeeded by his son and heir Edmund Walsh (ibid. 269). In 1577 a royal pardon was granted to 'Edmund Walsh, of the monastery Owney, co. Limerick' (ibid., 429). The monastic ruins were drawn by Thomas Dineley between 1675-80 (NLI Ms 392). The levelled Cistercian monastery of Abbey Owney appears to have been situated partially beneath the present graveyard (LI014-014006-) and in the field to the S of the graveyard. The two storey high medieval building marked 'Convent' on 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map located 5m S of SW angle of graveyard wall may have been one of the residential buildings belonging to the abbey. Seymour (1907, 180) suggested that this convent building was a house (LI014-014004-) built in the 16th century as a residence for the Walsh family who acquired the lands of Abbey Owney in 1562. This residential tower has punch dressed stonework of 16th century date which suggest that Seymour was correct in identifying the structure as a late medieval house that was converted in the 17th century into a mausoleum for the Walsh family. However it is possible that this building was originally built as part of the abbey that was converted into a residence by the Walsh family in the 16th century. A terrace running E-W in field S of graveyard may represent the S precinct wall of the abbey. Beyond this terrace to the S the surface of the field slopes down to the Mulkear River. It is possible that sections of the levelled abbey may have been located in the field to the W of the graveyard. A row of modern bungalows with garden plots are located immediately N of the graveyard wall. Archaeological trial trenching was undertaken in the field to the N of the modern graveyard extension wall in February 1992 by Celie O'Rahilly (Excavations 1992, 41), who opened two machine trenches, both of which yielded deposits of an archaeological nature and 17th century pottery sherds. In Cut 1, a Charles II copper farthing (1672-9), was recovered. The cuts were located on 2 of 3 ridges aligned north-south and it is possible that these may have been the site of the house (LI014-014012-) built by the Walsh family who acquired the lease on the Abbey lands in 1562. In 1992 further testing by means of resistivity survey was carried out by Martin Byrne in April 1992, but no further features of archaeological interest were detected. In 1994 prior to the constructed of 3 modern bungalows trenches were machine excavated under licence No. 04E0159 in the field to the N of the graveyard wall. The only features of interest were shallow field-drains which were bisected by all of the test trenches. The general environs of ‘Abbey Owney’ was the location for Famine Relief works. Since all the field-drains produced sherds of 19th-century pottery, it is reasonable to assume that they date to the period of the Famine Relief scheme (www.excavations.ie). In 1681 Thomas Dineley described the partial remains of the abbey ruins as following ; 'First, ye Town of Ownhy heretofore inhabited by ye OMulRyans a fragment of whose Inscription is seen upon a monument (LI014-014021-) in ye ruines of the Abby following, the inhabitants of this pt. of Munster, called the OMul-Rians Country, were in ye Reigne of Q. Eliz. ano. 1600, esteemed most notorious traitors, wherefore this Town & several castles & being [sic; qy. buildings] about it were almost layd even with the ground, & the Traytors putt to ye sword. Abby Ony als Owhny anciently an Abbey of the Order of St. Bernard (in going to it is crossed a stone bridge of six arches over ye river). Att the West end whereof is a small Chappel un-roofd belonging to the Walshes, as appears by a fair Monument of black Marble and Inscripcons there. Over the Door at the entrance into it is read as follows under his Armes, dated 1619. Now to returne again into the Ruines of the Abby, observe the following Monument (LI014-014019-/021-) with these Inscripcons also in Roman Capitall Letters, this is erected on the right side the High Altar. On the left side the sayd altar, & opposite to the former is seen this monument (LI014-014020-) but without Inscription' (Shirley 1865, 278-80). In 1841 the Ordnance Survey Letters described the Convent building located immediately S of the SW corner of the graveyard and recorded the following about the remains of Abbey Owney; 'The walls of an old edifice,