Derrynane Abbey is a ruined abbey in County Kerry

County Kerry

Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

, Republic of 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,...

. It is located near the town of Caherdaniel

Caherdaniel

Caherdaniel is a village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on the Iveragh peninsula on the Ring of Kerry. It is situated on the southwestern side of the peninsula, facing onto Derrynane Bay, at a T-junction on the N70 road....

 and is very close to Derrynane House

Derrynane House

Derrynane House was the home of Irish politician and statesman, Daniel O'Connell. It is now an Irish National Monumement and part of a 320 acre National Park....

, the house of Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...

. Derrynane

Derrynane

Derrynane is a village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on the Iveragh peninsula, just off the N70 national secondary road near Caherdaniel on the shores of Derrynane Bay. Also Trundle outbreak zone.- History :...

 Abbey is on an island appropriately named Abbey Island. It is accessible from the mainland through a beach. It is believed to have been built in the 6th century

The Abbey

The Abbey itself is very ruined. There are only 3 interconnecting buildings of the abbey left, all without a roof. The main church, like the other buildings, is very overgrown and full of graves, including Mary O'Connell's (wife of Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...

) grave. The three arched windows of the church are in good condition even though they are facing the sea. The other two buildings have little else of note but graves. In the graveyard surrounding the abbey, there is tomb made of white tile which has been chipped away in places. It's such an unusual tomb that it has to be seen too.

See also

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Kerry)