American Family in Longford: Abbeylara

Amy and I took a short road trip to see this Monastery in Abbeylara. The town was a small, quiet little village and at first we weren't sure how to get back to the ruins. The gate was locked, but to the left you can see that the stones are tiered into steps. I presume they want to allow visitors to walk in, but do not want people to drive in.

So, up and over the steps we went. Shortly after Amy and I walked over the steps and started walking down the path, and I swear this is true, our sunny spell started to disappear and the clouds moved in rather with a vengeance. We had upset the spirits or annoyed the fairies, I don't know. It was just a little bit creepy!

This was a list of people who were buried there. There was a Flanagan buried there in 1758! Did not find any Hogan's buried there, but the Hogan clan would mostly be in the province of Munster. Still have to trek down there to seek out family connections.

The web site www.longfordtourism.ie gives the following info on the Abbey:

History & Info
The monastery of Lerha at this place is said to have been founded by St Patrick circa 460AD, who appointed St. Gluasacht its first Abbot. It was later refounded for monks of the cistercian order and dedicted to the Blessed virgin in 1205 by Sir Richard Tuite. The Cistercian tableau gives the year of its foundation as 1214, which probably refers to the year in which the monastic buildings were completed. Sir Richard, who was killed accidentally by a falling tower in Athlone in 1211, is buried in Abbeylara. In 1315, Edward, brother of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, seized the monastery of Abbeylara and wintered there. The monks returned in 1316 and Abbeylara thereafter became the burial place of the O’Farrells, the local ruling family of County Longford. The last abbot, Richard O’Farrell, surrendered the abbey with its land and possessions to Henry VIII when he decreed the dissolution of all monasteries and the confiscation of all monastic property. At the time of the dissolution, the monastery buildings were in ruins, but the monastery property still consisted of 5,000 acres of land. Today, very little remains of the site. There is however a fine arch supporting one side of what was once the church and several smaller arches, all of which are now enclosed. The winding staircase is also still intact.
What is particularly interesting about Abbeylara Cistercian Monastery is that it is the location of a very ancient ‘Sheela na Gig’, symbol of the Divine Hag of the Celts, the source of life, death and regeneration. This symbol of the Goddess was initially worshiped by the indigenous people of Ireland and thereafter adopted by the Celts and incorporated into their ceremonies and rituals. It is only in Ireland that the Sheelas survived during medieval times, when very other symbol of God in feminine form was eliminated from Europe and the western world. It was the Irish Missionaries, most especially Colm Cille, who brought the image of the Sheela back to Europe and Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries. His fusion of Brigids nature religion and Patricks Roman Christianity blended the symbolism of the Devine Hag into his Columban Christianity. The Abbeylara symbol is the only known surviving Sheela na Gig in Ireland that displays a baby at its womb and as such is a hugely important relic of our ancient past. Research indicates the possibility that it originally came from nearby Kilbride (the cell or church of Brigid). St Marys Abbey as it is known was most likely named so in order to replace the much more ancient cult of Brigid which was prevelant in the area. Brigid was known as ‘Mary of the Gael’ and ‘Midwife of the Blessed Mother’. What is interesting to note is that in the area of Kilbride and Granard are several holy wells and stone circles, which according to Irish folklore were sacred places designated for giving birth. These are the only remains of stone circles in the Midlands of Ireland. These circles are to be found at Cloghchurnel and Cartronbore and together with the standing stones at Clough, Creevey, Dalystown Lower, Cloghchurnel and Tromra are all most likely dated from the Bronze Age.