Saint Nicholas's Church (Adare)

Attached gable-fronted double-height former abbey, originally built c. 1315 and restored c. 1814, with projecting single-bay two-storey flat-roofed block to north. Fifteenth-century cloister to south. Pitched slate roof with crenellated parapets to gables. Rubble stone walls with cut stone stringcourses. Square-headed panels to flat-roofed block east elevation with carved limestone heraldic motifs and surrounds. Lancet and square-headed openings with quarry glazed timber windows. Paired lancet openings to north elevation with quarry glazed timber windows. Pointed arch opening to flat-roofed block with replacement window. Elliptical-arched opening to ground floor of main block with cut stone voussoirs, now blocked. Camber-arched opening to main block, first floor with cut limestone surround, accessed by cut limestone external staircase. Square-headed opening to west with replacement door. Pointed arch opening to flat-roofed block, with cut stone surround and voussoirs. Cloister to south comprising corridors in square-profile, accessed via four-centred arch opening with carved roll moulded surround and label moulding with carved stops and carving to spandrels between. Rubble stone walls to corridors, internal arcaded walls with four-centred-arched openings having trefoil headed tracery and cut limestone voussoirs. Square-headed plaque to interior with incised lettering.

An Augustinian monastery was founded on this site as early as 1315 by John Earl of Kildare. The Augustinian Abbey, which was known as the Black Abbey, was the second of three monasteries in Adare. Its location beside the River Maigue and opposite Desmond's Castle is significant as it was a prime location for visitors. It fell into disuse following the supression of the monasteries in the sixteenth century, but was restored by various Earls of Dunraven during the nineteenth century. In 1814 part of the domestic buildings was roofed over and converted into a school. As well as much of its form and fabric, the former abbey retains many interesting early features, which add an historical and archaeological context as well as decorative detailing such as the fisteenth-century cloisters. This complex is a site of considerable architectural, historical and archaeological interest and forms an important component in Adare's heritage.