Pre-Reformation Trail
Kells Abbey
Mac Nissi is said to have chosen the site at Kells as his retreat.
Around 1100 the abbey at Kells became an Augustinian establishment. In 1415, it was granted resources to repair the church and other buildings. With the dissolution of the monasteries, the abbey was surrendered in 1542. In 1605, James I granted the former abbey to Sir James Hamilton. It was later granted to Sir Arthur Chichester. A survey in the 1650s recorded that the church at Kells was out of repair.
The western gable and portions of the walls of the abbey are still standing. The O’Hara family of Crebilly built a vault next to the ruins, probably in the 1700s.
The site is locally known as ‘Templemoyle’, meaning 'the bald or ruined church'. In the past, the church was also was also known as 'Blessed Virgin Mary of the Desert' and ‘Templemurry’ meaning 'the church of Mary’.
| Churchyard Facts & Figures | |
| First used as a Christian religious site | Believed to be before 514AD |
| Papal taxation of c.1300 | £8 6s. 8d |
| Church name used in Papal taxation c. 1300 | Desert of Connor |
| Replaced by | N/A |
| Townland | Kells |
