Saint Marry's abbey of Howth

« St Mary’s Abbey (Howth) Welcome to the St Mary’s Abbey.

Building whose history is as fascinating as its architecture. Come with me discovering it. His name refers in the Christian religion to the mother of Jesus who according to the gospels was chosen by God to bear his child. Even if we do not know who call it so we know who is its founder ... As you sure do ,Sitric or Sigtrygg, ( the Viking King of Dublin in the early 10th century, no doubt recognized the superb views of Howth) Bay from this location when he founded the earliest church here in 1042. We owe him also original church on the site of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. Much of the ruins standing in front of you dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. Indeed, when this church was amalgamated with another one on Ireland's Eye in 1235, it was re-founded by Luke, Archbishop of Dublin and then rebuilt again in the late 14th century. The Abbey was once a Collegiate Church a place of learning and worship that was home to a community of priests The community was composed of three or more priests, one of whom was responsible for liturgy and business matters. As you approach you can distinguish two aisles, each of which once had a gabled roof but when the building was once more modified in the 15th and 16th the gables were combined into a single, taller gable.

In addition, was put in place a Bellcote and a new porch and south door.

The east window was most likely inserted in the 16th c. At the same epoque the St Lawrences of nearby Howth Castle also modified the east end to act as a private chapel wherein can be found a finely carved tomb with a double effigy of the 13th Baron of Howth, Christopher St Lawrence and his wife, Anna Plunkett of Ratoath. He was an Anglo-Irish nobleman.

He was a key figure in fifteenth-century Irish politics, and one of the strongest.... »