Clare Abbey is a ruined Augustinian

Augustinians

The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...

 monastery

Monastery

Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

 located about a mile north of the Clarecastle

Clarecastle

Clarecastle is a village located just south of Ennis, in County Clare, Ireland. Over the past ten years the village has a rapidly increasing population due to its close proximity to Ennis, Shannon and Limerick, and also less than an hour away from Galway city....

 in County Clare

County Clare

-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

.

The abbey was founded in 1194 under the sponsorship of Donal Mór Ua Briain

O'Brien

The O'Brien dynasty are a royal and noble house founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais or Dalcassians. After becoming King of Munster, through conquest he established himself as High King of Ireland...

 (Donald O'Brien), the king of Thomond

Thomond

Thomond The region of Ireland associated with the name Thomond is County Clare, County Limerick and north County Tipperary; effectively most of north Munster. The name is used by a variety of establishments and organisations located in , or associated with the region...

. The ruins include a church and cloister with ranges of domestic buildings to the east and south of the garth, and a gateway and enclosures. The church was originally a long oblong building, 39 metres by 9 metres 40 centimetres, externally. The interior was subsequently divided into a nave and chancel by a belfry tower 4 metres 80 centimetres, and the chancel 14 metres 75 centimetres.

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland, (County Clare)

Sources

• The Augustinian Houses of the County Clare: Clare, Killone, and Inchicronan by Thomas Johnson Westropp at Clare Library
• Parliamentary Gazeteer of Ireland 1845 at Clare Library