The St. Canice's Abbey was founded in 560 AD when the importance of Finglas began to grow.
St. Canice, who had been a student of St. Mobhi at Glasnevin, was the first abbot of the monastery.
The original church was built in wattle and mud and, of course, nothing remains of it today. The current building was built in 10th to 12th century, but it was abandoned in 1840's, when the new St. Canice's church was built.
The nave of this church measures about 21 metres in length and 6.50 metres in width. The altar faces east (94°).
On the outer side of the south wall there's a plaque indicating the Bayly Vault that leads from under this wall to the vaulted tomb of William Hamilton Maffett and his family on the side of the building.
The graveyard around the ruined church contains many interesting burials. To the southeast of the church is the Nethercross cross.
The grounds are behind a locked gate. The keys are available at the cottage next to the gate to the southeast of the church.
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