Clones Abbey is a ruined monastery that later became an Augustinian abbey in the twelfth century, and its main sights are ecclesiastical. It was formerly known as St. Tighernach Abbey, and was referred to locally as the "wee abbey". Parochial and monastic settlements were separated, and it seems likely that the building became the Abbey of St. Peter and Paul. In the Book of Armagh and Annals of Ulster the word Clones is referenced as "Clauin Auis" and "Cluain Auiss," respectively. As there is no word in standard dictionaries of Old Irish that give the form "auis" or "eois", Seosamh Ó Dufaigh has speculated that the word is a cognate of the Welsh word for point or a tip: "awch". Bearnard O'Dubhthaigh disputes this theory on the grounds that the earlier form of "awch" is "afwch". Folklore suggests that the monastic town was originally called "Cluin Innish" due to being surrounded by water.

History The Town of Clones and the Abbey were founded by St. Tigernach (anglicised St. Tierney) in the 6th century. St. Tigernach or Tierney's abbey was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. The abbey was destroyed by fire in 836, 1095, and 1184. In 1207, Hugh de Lacy destroyed the abbey and town, but five years later, they were rebuilt by the English, who also erected a castle here. The ruins of a 12th-century abbey can be found on Abbey Street, along with a sarcophagus with worn animal-head carvings reputed to have been built to house the remains of St. Tigernach, and a 9th-century truncated 22m-high round tower, which was originally about 75 ft high and had a conical cap; Wakeman, W. F., "On the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Cluain-Eois", The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, Volumes 2-3, 1875, p. 330 and a well-preserved 10th-century high cross on the Diamond, decorated with drama-charged biblical stories such as Daniel in the lion's den, Abrahams sacrifice of Isaac, Adam and the tree and the serpent. On the reverse side, New Testament scenes are illustrated. The multiplication of the loaves, the miracle at Cana, the baptism of Christ.

The Protestant reformation lead to the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century, and the monastic settlement in Clones was destroyed. By the 17th century the abbey was a ruin, but solitary monks continued to live in the locality up until the 18th century. An English garrison was later established within the ruins.Clones. LibraryIreland. Retrieved on 22 March 2010. Clones trail brochure

Style The church is Romanesque in style and is evidence of the Roman church in Clones. The round-headed window is interesting, the head of which was cut out of a single stone. On the northern wall is a small Celtic cross sculptured in relief on a stone.

Monuments

Round Tower The Round Tower can be seen from Cara Street. The horizontal lintels and small windows are signs of early masonry. The doorway lacks the Romanesque arch, that is typical of medieval Christian buildings. These attributes lead one to the conclusion that it is among the oldest of the round towers on the British Isles. The tower was built to have five floors, ending in the top with a large, rectangular window. The roof of the building was undoubtedly a bencobhair; a stone, conical roof as is typical of Irish round towers. The tower itself would have reached seventy-five feet; but in its current, roofless state only reaches fifty-one. There is damage to the masonry on the exterior below the door, to the right. The cracked appearance of the stones suggests heat damage. This could be from any of the numerous instances in which the monastery was razed.Wakeman, William Frederick (15 October 2021). "Monastic Antiquities of Clones" (PDF). The Clogher Record. 3: 29

Abbey The Abbey on McCurtain's street is a stone building: a limestone interior and sandstone exterior. The front of the building is the most well preserved. The ashlar masonry and Romanesque arch can easily be appreciated. A single window remains on the building. According to William Frederick Wakeman, the single window: cut out of a single stone, with a recessed moulding and dressed masonry, bears a resemblance to the windows on Clonmacnoise's McCarthy tower.Wakeman, William Frederick (15 October 2021). "Monastic Antiquities of Clones" (PDF). The Clogher Record. 3: 31. The most singular feature of the Abbey is easily missed. Located on the exterior wall opposite the window, is a single cut stone bearing the mark of a cross. The cross is haloed in a fashion distinctly recognisable as the style of the Irish "Celtic cross". Its function has led to speculation as it is not something seen on churches of the period elsewhere.Wakeman, William Frederick (15 October 2021). "Monastic Antiquities of Clones" (PDF). The Clogher Record. 3: 32 .

Abbot of Clones The Abbot was the Primus Abbas or first mitred abbot of Ireland.

List of notable coarbs and abbots Note: From 1398 to 1435, there is an instance of the clash that frequently occurred between the papal provisor and the bishop's nominee.

List of notable coarbs and abbots The Coarb in the Medieval Irish Church. (c 1200–1550) by St. John D. Seymour Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C, Vol. 41, (1932–1934), pp. 219–231 Published by: Royal Irish AcademyFromUntilIncumbentNotesunknown549Tigernach mac Coirpri founder of the abbey; died in officeunknown806 Gormgal mac Dindnotaigof the Uí Chremthainn, called abbot of Armagh and Clones in the entry for his obit in the annalsAnnals of Ulster and Annals of Inisfallen s.a. 806; A New History of Ireland, ed. D. Ó Cróinín, pp. 318, 659; see further McCone, "Clones and her neighbours in the early period"unknown929CeanfoileDied in office inside the abbeyunknownunknownGilla Christ O'Macturanin 1184, was elected bishop of Clogherunknown1247Hugh Mac Conchailleabbot of Clones diedPart 8 of Annals of the Four Mastersunknown1257Mac Robiasabbot of Clones diedPart 9 of Annals of the Four Masters13161319Gelasius alias Cornelius Ó BánáinElected bishop-designate of Clogher and consecrated circa 1316; died 1319unknown1353Sean ó CairbreJohn O Carbrydied in office. His name appears on the outer shrine of the Domnach Airgid as coarb.unknown1365Sean Mac An EanaighJohn MacAneanyreceived collation of the comorbania or rectory of Clones from primate Milo Sweetman's commissaries in the diocese of Clogher, this appointment was subsequently ratified by the primate himself."The Coarb in the Medieval Irish Church. (Circa 1200–1550)" by St. John D. Seymour, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C, Vol. 41, (1932–1934), pp. 221–222 Published by: Royal Irish Academy13931398Tiernacus Mac An EanaighTierney MacAneanywas appointed to the rectory by the bishop of Kilmore and bishop of clogher, but in 1398 the Pope claimed he held the position unlawfully.1393(John ó Goband)Appointed by the Pope. Did not take effect, later became dean of Armagh in the same year1403(Pádraig Mac Cathmhaoil)Patrick Mac CawellAppointed by the Pope. Did not take effectunknown1413Éinrí mac Conullag Mac MathghamhnaHenry MacMahonson of Connolly appears to have been coarb but Eneas ó Cairbre detained the rectory from him having obtained it from the ordinary.1413unknownNeameas O'HanrattyA canon of Clogher, should have been collated to the rectoy then vacated by the death of Henry MacMahon. He was rehabilitated in 1417 by Martin V and received a fresh appointment from Eugenius IV. In primate John Mey's (Archbishop of Armagh) register, he is alluded to as coarb in 1438.unknown1435Eoin ó Cairbredied in office the fermanagh story by Peader Livingstone14771486Pilib mac Séamus Mac Mathghamhna Philip MacMahon son of JamesA canon chorister of Clogher, and parson of Dartry he was bound for the annates of the rectory in 1477. The Annals of Ulster (Author: [unknown]) p. 311 He was related to the Kings of Oriel. Annals of the Four Masters note: Rudhraighe mac Ardghail Moir Mheg Mathgamhna tighearna Oirghiall do écc. & a mhac Aedh Ruadh mac Rudhraighe do oirdneadh ina ionad la h-Ua Néill. Annals of the Four Masters (Author: [unknown]) note:Philip, son of the Coarb (i.e. James, son of Rury, son of Ardgal) Mac Mahon, a canon chorister at Clogher, Coarb of Clones, Parson of Dartry, &c., died.14911502Séamus mac Ruaidhri Mac MathghamhnaJames MacMahon son of RoryA canon of Clogher, who bound himself for the annates in 1491. He was related to the Kings of Oriel. The editor of the Annals of Ulster regards him as being representative of the lay succession of coarbs. This is an unfortunate illustration, for he was certainly a cleric. In 1492 he, the rector of St. Tighernach's, bound himself for the annates of the archdeaconry of Armagh; and in 1502, the year of his death, he, coarb of Clones, was acting as commissary for primate. He was 90 years old when he died. The Coarb in the Medieval Irish Church. (Circa 1200–1550) by St. John D. Seymour, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C, Vol. 41, (1932–1934), pp. 219–231 Published by: Royal Irish Academy Annuals of the 4 mastersc.15021504Giolla Pádraig Ó Connálaigh son of Henry Ua Connalaigh. The abbot of Clones was appointed Bishop-designate of Clogher, 6 March 1504; died before December 1504; also known as Patriciusunknown1536Maghnus Mac Mathghamhna died in officeAnnals of Ulster page 606-year 1536

See also List of monastic houses in Ireland

Notes

References

Further reading