A monastic site was founded at Mungret in mid-6th century by St. Nessan. The monastic community topped around 1,500 monks at the monastic site, operating in 6 different churches.
Mungret Abbey was founded in the 10th century, but was attacked a few times by the Vikings, and in 1107 the High King of Ireland Domnall Ua Lochlainn destoyed the monastery.
In 1152 the monastic site asked to be a bishop seat, but it was too close to Limerick, so it was granted to Brictius, Bishop of Limerick, in 1179.
In 1571 the abbey was under the control of the Church of Ireland.
A record from 1781 says that at that time the building was roofless.
It has a chancel, a nave, a residential building to the west (280°) with a belfry. The masonry of the nave is of poorer quality than the one of the chancel. In origin the church had four windows in the south wall and a window in the north wall, but in the 15th century external buttresses were added near the west end of the chancel, and these additions blocked up three of the four south windows, and the only north window.
The chancel arch no longer exists, and the wall between the chancel and the nave has been recently partially rebuilt.
The residence is a two storey building, with a belfry to the north.
The building is aligned to the east (100°).
Unfortunately the abbey was locked on the day of our visit.
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