School: Ballymartin, Croom (roll number 4466)
- Location:
- Ballymartin, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Teresa Lynch
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0525, Page 071
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- XML School: Ballymartin, Croom
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- XML “Manister Abbey”
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- The ancient parish of Manister lies two miles south-east of Croom on the road from Limerick to Charleville by way of Atlacca. It is intersected by the River Camogue (the crooked or winding river) Its ancient name was Aonacbeag (the little fair) to distinguish it from the great fair of Nenagh.In 1148 Turlough O'Brien founded a monastery here in honour of the Blessed Virgin for Cistercian monks from Mellifont near Drogheda. THIS ABBEY IS CONSIDERED BY ANTIQUARIANS AS AMONGST THE MOST REMARKABLE OF THE MONASTIC RUINS OF THOMOND.
IT WAS BUILT IN FULFILMENT OF A VOW MADE IN THE HEAT OF CONFLICT BY KING TURLOUGH, that if he gained victory over the Danes in the sanguinary battle of Rathmore (one mile distant) he would as an act of thanksgiving erect there a temple in honour of the Mother of God.
Having gained the victory he immediately made preparations in fullfilment of his pious promise. The buildings were completed in 1151 and occupied by about 40 monks from Mellifont. The monastery grew into such magnitude and importance that before the end of the 12th century the house at Abbeyfeale was made a Cell to Manister and in the course of time it furnished monks for the monastery of Holy Cross in Tipperary and also for that of Middleton in Cork. It was simply endowed by its founder(continues on next page)
