Sligo Abbey

A roofless Dominican friary at the centre of Sligo town, founded in 1253 and one of the few medieval monasteries in Ireland to survive with substantial fabric. The cloister, the high altar, the tomb sculptures, and the surrounding choir all remain in good condition.

A guided tour by the Office of Public Works runs in summer and is the easiest way to make sense of the layered history. Allow about an hour.

things to do sight religious
A story
Founded as a Dominican friary in 1253 by Maurice Fitzgerald, the abbey survived a destructive fire in the 15th century and the Cromwellian wars in the 17th before falling into ruin. The cloister, with its delicate twin columns, is one of the most intact pieces of Irish medieval monastic architecture.