Jerpoint Abbey

Jerpoint Abbey (Mainistir Sheiriopuin) was founded in 1160. The abbey was probably founded by the King of Ossory, Donal MacGillapatrick, as a Benecdictine order. Later in 1180, the Cistercians monks from Baltinglass Abbey came in a established Jerpoint as a daughter house. Most of the abbey was built in the 12^th and 13^th century. The tower was added in the 15^th century. The abbey is constructed like the Cistercian abbey in Citeaux, France. The abbey consists of a church in a cross formation (nave, chancel and trancepts), cloister, and a chapter house.

Jerpoint Abbey struggled to maintain it's native Irish identity but in 1217, the Norman abbots deposed the Irish abbots. In 1228, the abbey had 36 monks and 50 lay brothers in residence. It slowly lost importance and by the time King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539, there were only 5 monks and 1 abbot.