Clones Abbey
Encyclopedia
Clones Abbey is a ruined monastery
that later became an Augustinian
abbey in the twelfth century, and its main sights are ecclesiastical. The Abbey was formerly known as St. Tighernach Abbey, and was referred to locally as the "wee abbey". Parochial and monastic settlements were separated, and it seems likely that the building became the Abbey of St. Peter and Paul.
The Town of Clones
and the Abbey was founded by St. Tigernach
(anglicised St. Tierney) in the 6th century. St. Tigernach or Tierney's abbey was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. The abbey was destroyed by fire in 836, 1095, and in 1184. In 1207, Hugh de Lacy destroyed the abbey and town; but five years after they were rebuilt by the English, who also erected a castle here. The ruins of a 12th-century abbey can be found on Abbey Street, along with a sarcophagus
with worn animal-head carvings reputed to have been built to house the remains of St. Tigernach, and a 9th-century truncated 22m-high round tower
,which was originally about 90 ft high and had a conical cap. and a well-preserved 10th-century high cross
on the Diamond, decorated with drama-charged biblical stories such as Daniel in the lion’s den, Abrahams sacrifice of Isaac, Adam and the tree and the serpent. On the reverse side, new testament scenes are illustrated. The multiplication of the loaves, the miracle at Cana, the baptism of Christ.
The Protestant reformation lead to the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII
in the 16th century, and the monastic settlement in Clones was destroyed. By the 17th century the abbey was a ruin, but solitary monks continued to live in the locality up until the 18th century. An English garrison was later established within the ruins.
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...
that later became an Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
abbey in the twelfth century, and its main sights are ecclesiastical. The Abbey was formerly known as St. Tighernach Abbey, and was referred to locally as the "wee abbey". Parochial and monastic settlements were separated, and it seems likely that the building became the Abbey of St. Peter and Paul.
History
Clones
Clones is a small town in western County Monaghan, in the 'border area' of the Republic of Ireland. The area is part of the Border Region, earmarked for economic development by the Irish Government due to its currently below-average economic situation...
and the Abbey was founded by St. Tigernach
Tigernach of Clones
Tigernach was one of the saints of the territory ruled by the Uí Chremthainn dynasty, together with Mac Caírthinn of Clogher and Mo Laisse of Devenish. His principal foundation is Clones, which lay in the western part of Fernmag, an area ruled by the Uí Chremthainn branch Uí Nad Sluaig...
(anglicised St. Tierney) in the 6th century. St. Tigernach or Tierney's abbey was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. The abbey was destroyed by fire in 836, 1095, and in 1184. In 1207, Hugh de Lacy destroyed the abbey and town; but five years after they were rebuilt by the English, who also erected a castle here. The ruins of a 12th-century abbey can be found on Abbey Street, along with a sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
with worn animal-head carvings reputed to have been built to house the remains of St. Tigernach, and a 9th-century truncated 22m-high round tower
Irish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
,which was originally about 90 ft high and had a conical cap. and a well-preserved 10th-century high cross
High cross
A high cross or standing cross is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval tradition in Ireland and Britain of raising large sculpted stone crosses, usually outdoors...
on the Diamond, decorated with drama-charged biblical stories such as Daniel in the lion’s den, Abrahams sacrifice of Isaac, Adam and the tree and the serpent. On the reverse side, new testament scenes are illustrated. The multiplication of the loaves, the miracle at Cana, the baptism of Christ.
The Protestant reformation lead to the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
in the 16th century, and the monastic settlement in Clones was destroyed. By the 17th century the abbey was a ruin, but solitary monks continued to live in the locality up until the 18th century. An English garrison was later established within the ruins.
Style
The church is Romanesque in style and is evidence of the Roman church in Clones. The round-headed window is interesting, the head of which was cut out of a single stone. On the northern wall there is a small Celtic cross sculptured in relief on a stone.List of Notable Coarbs & Abbots
Note: From 1398 to 1435 we have an instance of the clash that frequently occurred between the papal provisor and the bishops nominee.| List of Notable Coarbs & Abbot Abbot The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery... s. |
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|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| unknown | 549 | Tigernach mac Coirpri Tigernach of Clones Tigernach was one of the saints of the territory ruled by the Uí Chremthainn dynasty, together with Mac Caírthinn of Clogher and Mo Laisse of Devenish. His principal foundation is Clones, which lay in the western part of Fernmag, an area ruled by the Uí Chremthainn branch Uí Nad Sluaig... |
founder of the abbey; died in office 549 |
| unknown | 806 | Gormgal mac Dindnotaig | of the Uí Chremthainn, called abbot of Armagh and Clones in the entry for his obit in the annals |
| unknown | 929 | Ceanfoile | Died in office inside the abbey |
| unknown | unknown | Gilla Christ O'Macturan | in 1184, was elected Bishop of Clogher |
| unknown | 1247 | Hugh Mac Conchaille | abbot of Clones died |
| unknown | 1257 | Mac Robias | abbot of Clones died |
| 1316 | 1319 | Gelasius alias Cornelius Ó Bánáin | Elected Bishop-designate of Clogher Bishop of Clogher The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of the Roman Catholic Church.-History:Clogher is one... and consecrated circa 1316; died 1319 |
| unknown | 1353 | Sean ó Cairbre | John O Carbry died in office. His name appears on the outer shrine of Domnach Airgid as coarb |
| unknown | 1365 | Sean Mac An Eanaigh | John MacAneany received collation of the comorbania or rectory of Clones from primate Milo Sweetman Milo Sweetman Milo Sweetman was treasurer of Ossory in 1360, in which year he was elected Bishop of the Diocese by the Chapter. His election was cancelled by the Pope, who, however, in the following year appointed him Archbishop of Armagh. Having governed the Primatial See for nineteen years he died in 1380, and... 's commissaries in the diocese of Clogher, this appointment was subsequently ratified by the primate himself. |
| 1393 | 1398 | Tiernacus Mac An Eanaigh | Tierney MacAneany was appointed to the rectory by the Bishop of Kilmore and bishop of clogher, but In 1398 the Pope claimed he held the position unlawfully. |
| 1393 | (John ó Goband) | Appointed by the Pope. Did not take effect, later became Dean of Armagh in the same year | |
| 1403 | (Pádraig Mac Cathmhaoil) | Patrick Mac Cawell Appointed by the Pope. Did not take effect |
|
| unknown | 1413 | Éinrí mac Conullag Mac Mathghamhna | Henry MacMahon son of Connolly appears to have been coarb but Eneas ó Cairbre detained the rectory from him having obtained it from the ordinary. |
| 1413 | unknown | Neameas O'Hanratty | A canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule .... of Clogher, should have been collated to the rectoy then vaccated by the death of Henry MacMahon. He was rehabilited in 1417 by Martin V and received a fresh appointment from Eugenius IV, In primate John Mey's (Archbishop of Armagh Archbishop of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is the title of the presiding ecclesiastical figure of each of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland in the region around Armagh in Northern Ireland... ) register he is alluded to as coarb in 1438. |
| unknown | 1435 | Eoin ó Cairbre | died in office |
| 1477 | 1486 | Pilib mac Séamus Mac Mathghamhna Pilib mac Séamus Mac Mathghamhna Pilib mac Séamus Mac Mathghamhna was a famous canon chorister of Clogher, parson of Dartry and coarb of Clones Abbey.He was a successor of St. Tigernach in Clones and had for the greater part all the Fourths of the bishop of Oriel and the farming of the priors of Lughbadh and Fermanagh, he was... |
Philip MacMahon son of James A canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule .... chorister of Clogher, and parson Parson In the pre-Reformation church, a parson was the priest of an independent parish church, that is, a parish church not under the control of a larger ecclesiastical or monastic organization... of Dartry Dartraighe Dartraighe , anglicized as Dartree, Dartry or Dartrey, was a kingdom in ancient Ireland which stretched north to Clones and south to beyond the Dromore river, once belonging to the O'Boylans and McMahons.... he was bound for the annates of the rectory in 1477. He was related to the Kings of Oriel. |
| 1491 | 1502 | Séamus mac Ruaidhri Mac Mathghamhna | James MacMahon son of Rory A canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule .... of Clogher, who bound himself for the annates in 1491. He was related to the Kings of Oriel. The editor of the Annals of Ulster regards him as being representative of the lay succession of coarbs. This is an unfortunate illustration, for he was certainly a cleric. In 1492 he, the rector of St. Tighernach's, bound himself for the annates of the archdeaconry of Armagh; and in 1502, the year of his death, he, coarb of Clones, was acting as commissary for primate. He was 90 years old when he died. |
| c.1502 | 1504 | Giolla Pádraig Ó Connálaigh | son of Henry Ua Connalaigh. The abbot of Clones was appointed Bishop-designate of Clogher Bishop of Clogher The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of the Roman Catholic Church.-History:Clogher is one... , 6 March 1504; died before December 1504; also known as Patricius |
| unknown | 1536 | Maghnus Mac Mathghamhna | died in office, |