A remarkable 13th-century Dominican priory in the heart of Sligo town, home to one of Ireland's rare surviving sculpted 15th-century high altars, exquisite Gothic and Renaissance carvings, and a cloister love knot said to grant wishes.
Wander through the remarkably preserved church, sacristy, chapterhouse, and the beautiful 15th-century cloister arcade. The tower was added in the 15th century and the church retains its original Norman layout: nave to the west, choir to the east, separated by a rood screen.
Find the abbey's oldest monument — the O'Crean tomb — in a recess in the north nave wall. It bears a Latin inscription dated 1506 and features nine carved relief figures including St Dominic, St Michael the Archangel, and St Peter holding the keys to heaven.
Hidden on one of the cloister columns is a unique carving known as the Love Knot, said to represent the bond between earthly and spiritual love. Local tradition holds that placing your hand on the stone and making a wish can make it come true.
Admire the sculptured 15th-century high altar — one of the very few to survive in any Irish monastic church. During the 1832 cholera epidemic, it is said bodies were piled on this altar as it was the only remaining sacred place in the area.
The graveyard surrounding the abbey was Sligo town's main burial ground in the 18th century and was overwhelmed by cholera victims in 1832. Bram Stoker's mother witnessed burials here — a story believed to have inspired Dracula. A copy of Charlotte Thornley's diary is in the visitor centre.
Climb to the upper level to explore the remains of the dining hall and dormitories where the Dominican friars once lived, worked, and prayed.
Friendly OPW guides bring the abbey's colourful and traumatic history to life, from its founding by Maurice FitzGerald to its destruction by Sir Frederic Hamilton in 1642. Guide sheets are available in several languages.
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