Menu

Mayo - 1
Mayo Abbey

Site/Artefact Mayo Abbey Type Monastic Site Site Number SMR Mayo 090 100 National Grid Reference 126380 East 279450 North Map ( 1:50000) Ordnance Survey Ireland, Discovery Series No 38 List of Sites and Artefacts Click Here Interactive Map Click Here

Aerial view of enclosure at Mayo Abbey Vallum Wall

Description
The multi-period monastic site at Mayo Abbey would not initially have been as large as the remnants of the enclosing wall (vallum) suggests, but might well have reflected the simple austerity of the monastic life at Lindisfarne. According to Bede, the church at Lindisfarne was made of hewn oak and then covered with reeds (Bradley, 1999). The Abbot of Lindisfarne, Colmán had, between 668 and the early 670s, founded the monastery at Mayo Abbey which would by 700 AD become over a relatively short time span, a famous seat of learning with over one hundred monks living there.

The national and international importance of this monastery is stated in the Irish annals up until the 13th century. The Northumbrian connection was acknowledged in that the area became known as 'Mayo of the Saxons'. There are two main phases of occupation, the early Christian monastic foundations and a later medieval Augustinian Abbey (Madden, 1999). The enclosure measuring 265m N-S and circa 275m E-W in internal diameters is described in the context of similar sites around the country as 'huge' (Morahan, 1996).

Excavation Details
Not Available

Access/Ownership
Contact Mayo Abbey Community

References

• Bradley, I. 1999, Celtic Christianity, Making Myths and Chasing Dreams, Edinburgh, p.29
• Madden, J. 1999, Geophysical Signatures of Various archaeological sites/monuments at Mayo Abbey, Co. Mayo, MSc Thesis, NUIG, Galway, p11
• Morahan, L. 1996, An Archaeological Survey of the Mayo Abbey Parish, p.140-1 

Check out the following sections of the website for related information:

• Iona
• Island of Selje

Mayo Sites and Artefacts

1. Mayo Abbey 2. Balla 3. Ballintubber Abbey 4. Tóchar Phadraig 5. Aghagower 6. Lankhill 7. Boheh 8. Croagh Patrick Summit 9. Carrownalurgan 10. Ardoley 11. Kiladangan 12. Glaspatrick 13. Shrawee 14. Clare Island - Strake 15. Clare Island - Lecarrow 16. Caher Island 17. Durless

18. Carrowmore 19. Knappaghmanagh 20. Cushalogurt 21. Carrowkeel Ecclesiastical Remains 22. Thornhill 23. Carrowkeel Murrisk 24. Carrowkeel Cahernaran 25. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-1 26. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-2 27. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-3 28. Carrowmacloughlin/ Glencally/ Teevenacroaghy 29. Carrowmacloughlin Sweathouses 30. Glaspatrick Holy Well

31. Glaspatrick Rath-1 32. Glaspatrick Early Ecclesiastical Remains 33. Glaspatrick Ringfort 34. Glaspatrick Rath-2 35. Glaspatrick Ecclesiatical Remains 36. Glaspatrick Altar 38. Glaspatrick Graveyard 39. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-1 40. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-2 41. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-3 42. Teevenacroaghy

Mayo - Vestvågøy - Mid-Argyll

Travels in Time | Overview | Themes |

Timelines | 700BC to 0 | 0 to 800AD | 800AD to 1100AD |

Landscape | Mayo | Vestvågøy | Mid-Argyll | Archaeology |

Other Media | Education | Exhibition | Publication |

Information | Bibliography | Project | Links | Contact |

This project has been supported by the EU as part of the Culture 2000 programme.