Overview
Abbeylara holds one of the few Sheela-na-gigs in the Irish midlands, carved into the south chapel wall of a Cistercian abbey founded in 1205. The stone shell of the church rises from the fields at the eastern edge of County Longford, a short drive from the market town of Granard. It is open year-round and free, and suits anyone after a half-hour of medieval ruins well off the tourist trails.
A medieval foundation
Abbeylara (Irish: Mainistir Leathrátha, ‘abbey of the little rath’) was established in 1205 by the Hiberno-Norman magnate Risteárd de Tiúit, anglicised as Richard Tuite, who is thought to have been buried here after his death in 1210. Like many early foundations it probably grew on the site of an older Christian settlement, but it was the arrival of Cistercian monks from St Mary’s Abbey in Dublin in 1214 that turned it into a regional centre.
Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the abbey grew its lands and influence over the following centuries. By the 15th century it was wealthy enough to secure papal indulgences in 1410 and 1435 to fund repairs, a measure of its standing with the local O’Farrell clan and the wider church. Two of its abbots went on to become bishops of Clonmacnoise. The Reformation ended its monastic life: it was dissolved by 1550, and its lands were granted to Richard Nugent, Baron of Delvin, in 1552. The church fell to ruin, but the graveyard stayed in use.
The ruins and grounds
The surviving walls of the nave and chancel still give the scale of the original church, and the faint outline of the cloister garth to the south marks where the monks gathered.
The Sheela-na-gig
The thing to look for is the Sheela-na-gig (or Síle na Gig) carved into the inside of the south chapel wall. These grotesque, often nude female figures are found across Ireland and Britain, but examples in the midlands are rare. Medieval builders set them on church walls as apotropaic carvings, meant to ward off evil and remind the faithful of mortality. It is worth a proper look, an odd and frank piece of medieval carving.
The graveyard
The graveyard around the ruins has been in continuous use since the 16th century, running from worn, near-illegible early slabs to elaborate 19th-century headstones, useful for tracing local genealogy.
Walking, angling and the Black Pig’s Dyke
Abbeylara sits well for extending a visit into the surrounding countryside:
- The Black Pig’s Dyke: Just over a kilometre north of the village are the remains of the Dún-chlaí (Duncla), better known as the Black Pig’s Dyke, a large early-medieval defensive earthwork running from Lough Gowna to Lough Kinale. Its origin and purpose are still debated, and it makes a gentle countryside walk.
- Angling and wildlife: Nearby Lough Kinale and Lough Derragh are known among anglers for pike, perch, roach and trout, with good birdwatching and quiet picnic spots even if you are not fishing.
- Nearby heritage: Abbeyshrule, a few kilometres away, has another Cistercian abbey and sits on the Royal Canal Greenway, an easy route for a walk or cycle.
Practical information
- Getting there: Abbeylara is 3 km east of Granard on the R396. Follow local signage from the village centre.
- Hours and admission: Open year-round, 24/7, free.
- Parking: Limited roadside parking near the village. Park considerately and respect private property.
- Facilities: No visitor centre or café on-site. Bring your own water and snacks, and wear sturdy footwear, as the ground is uneven and grassy.
- Best time: Late spring to early autumn for the mildest weather over the earthworks and lakes. The site is just as atmospheric in winter, with bare trees and low light across the stones.
- Accessibility: Largely accessible, but some paths are unpaved and muddy after rain. Not fully wheelchair accessible.
Pair it with a walk along the Black Pig’s Dyke, a coffee in Granard and a drive past Lough Kinale for a full Longford day. Further afield, the Corlea Trackway near Kenagh and the Knights and Conquests trail are both worth the time.