In 1216, Cathal Crobderg O’Connor, son of Turlough O’Connor and brother of Rory O’Connor, the last High King of Ireland, founded Ballintubber Abbey for the Augustinian monks on the site of an older Patrician church along the pilgrimage routeway of the Tochar Phadraig. Cathal was a notable patron of the arts and endowed many monasteries, including the Cistercian Abbey at Abbeyknockmoy in Galway where he was to die a monk in 1224. Cathal’s attachment to the Cistercians may in part explain the fact that the plan of Ballintubber Abbey is Cistercian in style, but without the usual aisles.
Ballintubber has become known as ‘the abbey that refused to die’. Despite its dissolution and destruction over the centuries, it is the only abbey to remain in continuous use since its foundation in the 13th century. Many attempts were made to restore it during the 19th century. In 1846, restoration began under Archbishop John MacHale (1791-1881) of Tuam. Then in 1889, the architect George Ashlin re-roofed the chancel, crossing the transept. The abbey was finally completely restored in 1966 for the 750th anniversary of its foundation. The restoration of its Romanesque and early Gothic architectural details provides an insight into how the abbey may have looked when first built.
The beauty of Ballintubber Abbey can be seen in its chancel, where delicate shafts rise from the walls at a point about shoulder height, their fine lines contrasting strikingly with the massive roof ribs above. The original 13th century stone slab altar is still used today, although the Stations of the Cross, telling the story of Christ’s passion, have been replaced by ones created by the artist Imogen Stuart. Click here for further details on Ballintubber Abbey.
Extracted from: www.mayo.ie