09. An Mhainistir

An Mhainistir

Le taobh na mbealaí siúlóide ar an taobh ó thuaidh den bhaile atá Mainistir Naomh Muire, láthair eaglasta ó thart ar 1300 anall. Síltear gurb é Richard de Burgo, an tIarla Rua, a thug cuireadh do Mhanaigh na gCairmilíteach a theacht ar an mbaile agus mainistir a chur ar bun ann. Ba mhinic gur mar sin a tharlaíodh le bailte na Normannach ach, cé gur dócha gurbh Normannaigh na manaigh freisin, tógadh an mhainistir taobh amuigh de bhallaí an bhaile. D’fhéadfadh go raibh na manaigh ag iarraidh a léiriú go raibh siad ag freastal ar na Gaeil chomh maith leis na Normannaigh. Bhí go leor spáis de dhíth le haghaidh na mainistreach chomh maith, rud nach mbeadh le fáil taobh istigh de na ballaí. Ba mhinic freisin mainistreacha in úsáid mar ospidéil agus bhí ciall ansin lena cur taobh amuigh de na ballaí. Tá fuinneoga caola ar an déanamh Gotach i bhfoirgneamh na Mainistreach go fóill, faoi mar a bhí ó aimsir na Normannach anuas. Meastar gur thart ar an mbliain 1437 a tógadh an túr agus píosaí eile a cuireadh leis an Mainistir.

The Abbey

Beside The Walks to the North of the town is St. Mary’s Abbey; a historical religious site dating back to the year around 1300. It is believed that Richard de Burgo; the Red Earl invited the Carmelite Monks to the town to found a monastery. This often happened with Norman settlements, but although the original monks themselves were probably Normans too. The monastery was built outside the town walls; perhaps the monks wanted to show, they were there to serve the native Irish as well as the Normans. Also, the Monastery needed lots of space, which it couldn’t have inside the town walls; as well as that Monasteries were often used as hospitals so having it outside the walls made sense. There are narrow Gothic style windows still in the original Monastery building which survived from Norman times. It is believed that the tower and other additions to the Monastery were built around 1437.