We wonder how we could have missed this huge priory in the past years since it's on the side of the N20, hence well visible from the road.
I think we drove by this church at least 10 times without seeing it.
This priory was founded in 1229 by Philip de Barry for the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. The cloister was the center of the priory and all the main buildings were built around it. The long church, now in ruins, was built on the north side.
The west gable of the church was incorporated into a tower in the 14th century, and a second tower, used for dwellings, was added later further west. On this side, the church walls include two very fine lancet windows.
About 20 metres southeast from the church is the finest existing medieval dovecot in all Ireland, with over 350 niches.
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