Saints Island

Located close to Newtowncashel on the southeastern shore of Lough Ree is Saints Island. It is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. It is rich in wildlife, particularly migrating birds.

Rich in History

The Island has an equally rich history, with the ruins of the Augustinian Priory of All Saints located on the northwest corner of the island.

It is thought that St Ciarán of Clonmacnois founded a church on the island before 542AD, however, this is unclear. 

In 1185, Sir Henry Dillon was granted lands in south Longford, including Saints Island. An entry relating to 1272 in the Annals of Connacht attributes the construction of the priory to Sir Dillon.

The monastery flourished under Abbot Augustin Magraidhin in the fourteenth century. Two manuscripts recounting the lives of Irish saints believed to have been written by Magraidhin before his death in 1405 are preserved in the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

The surviving fragment of the Annals of the Priory of All Saints covers only the years 1397 to 1407. However, it is important for its coverage of events in the Midlands at the time and includes a unique discussion of King Richard II’s expedition to Ireland.

Like other monasteries, the Priory suffered under the dissolution of the monasteries after 1541, first by King Henry VIII and later by Elizabeth I. Just 100 years later an account by Nicholas Dowdall in 1682 described the Saints Island house as being ruined. 

The ruins of the priory chapel are the largest surviving section of the monastery. It features large Gothic windows with carved stone tracery, typical of this style of architecture. The most impressive is the altar window. The outline of the square cloister garth is visible to the north of the church. This would have once been surrounded by rooms such as the chapter house and refectory (or dining room).

These cloister buildings would have been up to two stories in height, with the monks’ dormitories and storage areas on the first floor. One latrine survives to the west of the chapel.

English poet Ted Hughes was inspired to write ‘Saint’s Island’ (1986) following a fishing expedition to Lough Ree with his painter friend Barrie Cooke.

The abbey church and burial ground are open to the public.

Please note that the church is in ruinous condition and the walls and arches should not be climbed upon.