A Dominican friary founded in the mid-13th century, Sligo Abbey is the town's only surviving medieval structure — a walled ruin of church, cloister and graveyard sitting quietly in the middle of Sligo.
Large parts of the 13th-century church, sacristy and chapterhouse survive, alongside the 15th-century cloister and its associated buildings. Climb to the upper floor to see the remains of the friars' dining hall and dormitories.
The abbey's earliest monument, an English Gothic tomb of 1506 for a wealthy Sligo merchant family, sits in a recess in the north wall of the nave. Try to identify its nine carved figures, including a friar, St Michael the Archangel and St Peter holding the keys to heaven.
A unique carving hidden on one of the cloister columns, said to represent the bond between earthly and spiritual love. Local custom holds that placing your hand on the stone and making a wish may just work.
Guided tours bring the abbey's turbulent history to life, from its founding by Maurice FitzGerald to the fire of 1414 and its destruction in 1642. Guides are on hand in the visitor centre to answer questions.
The graveyard that surrounds the complex was Sligo's main burial ground in the 18th century and was overwhelmed by cholera victims in 1832. Bram Stoker's mother is said to have witnessed a burial there and told her son the story — many believe it inspired Dracula.
The cloister is among the best-preserved features of the abbey, and its arcade of carved columns is the highlight of most visits. Look closely at the detail on the stonework as you pass.
The sculptured high altar is one of the very few to survive in an Irish monastic church, and the abbey also retains Gothic and Renaissance monumental sculpture throughout.
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