# Grangefertagh

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grangefertagh
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grangefertagh.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grangefertagh
> Source revision: 1343073179
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{more footnotes|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Irish English|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox monastery
| name                 = Grangefertagh
| native_name          = Gráinseach na Fearta<br/>Fearta-Caerach
| native_name_lang     = ga
| image                = File:Grangefertagh_Round_Tower_April_2021.jpg
| alt                  = 
| caption              = Round tower
| full                 = 
| other_names          = Fertagh
| order                = [Canons Regular of Saint Augustine](/source/Canons_Regular_of_Saint_Augustine)
| established          = early 6th century
| disestablished       = [1536](/source/Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries)
| mother               = 
| dedication           = 
| diocese              = [Ossory](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Ossory)
| churches             = 
| founder              = [Ciarán of Saigir](/source/Ciar%C3%A1n_of_Saigir)
| abbot                = 
| prior                = 
| archbishop           = 
| bishop               = 
| archdeacon           = 
| people               = 
| status               = 
| functional_status    = In ruins
| heritage_designation = 
| embedded             = {{Infobox designation list|embed=yes
| designation1         = National Monument of Ireland
| designation1_number  = 74
| designation1_offname = Grangefertagh Round Tower and Church
}}
| designated_date   = 
| architect         = 
| style             = [Celtic monastic](/source/Celtic_Christianity)
| groundbreaking    = 
| completed_date    = 
| construction_cost = 
| location          = Grangefertagh, [Johnstown](/source/Johnstown%2C_County_Kilkenny),<br/> [County Kilkenny](/source/County_Kilkenny), [Ireland](/source/Ireland)
| map_type          = Ireland
| coord             = {{coord|52.778459|N|7.544599|W|region:IE|display=inline,title}}
| oscoor            = 
| remains           = 
| public_access     = yes
| website           = 
| other_info        = 
}}

'''Grangefertagh''' is a former [abbey](/source/abbey) located in [County Kilkenny](/source/County_Kilkenny), [Ireland](/source/Republic_of_Ireland). It is today a [National Monument](/source/National_Monument_(Ireland)).

==Location==

Grangefertagh is located about {{Convert|3.3|km|abbr=on}} north of [Johnstown, County Kilkenny](/source/Johnstown%2C_County_Kilkenny), near a crossing-point on the [River Goul](/source/River_Goul).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pGLstPf5iJMC|title=Celtic Resource Book|first=Martin|last=Wallace|date=1 April 2009|publisher=Church House Publishing|isbn=9780715141861|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==History==

Grangefertagh was founded in the sixth century AD by Saint [Ciarán of Saigir](/source/Ciar%C3%A1n_of_Saigir), and known as Fearta-Cáerach ("Sheep's Tomb"). In 861 [Cerball mac Dúnlainge](/source/Cerball_mac_D%C3%BAnlainge) killed a host of [Vikings](/source/Vikings) at Fertagh, taking forty heads. A [round tower](/source/Irish_round_tower) was later built. In 1156 the high king [Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn](/source/Muirchertach_Mac_Lochlainn) burned the tower with the [lector](/source/Reader_(liturgy)) inside.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yrQ7AwAAQBAJ|title=Celtic Saints of Ireland|first=Elizabeth|last=Rees|date=1 May 2013|publisher=History Press|isbn=9780752492919|via=Google Books}}</ref>

The monastery was reopened by the [de Blancheville](/source/de_Blancheville) family for the [Canons Regular of St Augustine](/source/Canons_Regular_of_St_Augustine) in the early 13th century.<ref>{{cite book|last=Archdall |first=M | year=1786 |title= Monasticon Hibernicum: Or, an history of the Abbies, Priories, and other Religious Houses in Ireland |publisher=Printed for Luke White |location=Dublin}}</ref> In 1421 it was so destroyed and desolated that its religious could not 'remain therein, but must wander about and beg their daily bread' <ref>{{cite book|last=Twemlow |first=William |year=1906 |title= Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland 1417-1431, p.181 |volume=7 |publisher= His Majesty’s Printing Office |location=London}}</ref> but in 1455 it was rebuilt by Thady Megirid/Magriyd, a canon of [Inchmacnerin](/source/Inchmacnerin_Abbey).<ref>{{cite book|last=Twemlow |first=William |year=1906 |title= Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland 1417-1431 |volume=7 |publisher= His Majesty’s Printing Office |location=London}}</ref> The monastery was dissolved in 1541<ref>{{cite book|last=White |first=N |year=1943 |title= Extents of Irish monastic possessions, 1540-1541  | publisher= Manuscripts Commission |location=Dublin}}</ref> but the church of was in use until 1780 and now forms part of a [Gaelic handball](/source/Gaelic_handball) alley.

==Buildings==

===Round tower===
The tower is {{Convert|31|m|abbr=on}} tall. It has nine windows: six angle-headed and three [lintel](/source/lintel)led. Four of the angle-headed windows are on the top storey facing the four [cardinal directions](/source/cardinal_directions). The tower is complete to the [cornice](/source/cornice) but only part of the cap remains.

The doorway faces northeast and is {{Convert|3.3|m|abbr=on}} above the ground. Sometime before 1800, a local farmer removed some stones from the original doorcase because he believed that they had magical fire-resistant properties. The doorway as it appears now is a later repair job.

thumb

===Church===
thumb
thumb
There is an Augustinian monastery church (13th century) west of the tower. A side chapel contains a 16th century<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rae |first1=Edwin |date=1971 |title=Irish Sepulchral Monuments of the Later Middle Ages. Part II the O'Tunney Atelier |journal=The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland  |volume= 101 |pages= 1–39}}</ref> tomb said by Carrigan<ref>{{cite book|last=Carrigan |first=William |author-link=William Carrigan |year=1905 |title=The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory |volume=2 |publisher=Sealy, Bryers & Walker |location=Dublin}}</ref> to be that of Seán Mac Giolla Phádraig, [King of Osraige](/source/Kings_of_Osraige). The tomb has [effigies](/source/effigies) of a man in armour and a woman, said to be Seán’s wife Nóirín Ní Mórdha.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culturalheritageireland.ie/index.php/heritage-sites-and-centres/90-grangefertagh-abbey-near-johnstown-co-kilkenny|title=Grangefertagh Abbey, near Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny|last=CHI}}</ref> Carrigan claimed other members of the [Mac Giolla Phádraig dynasty](/source/Mac_Giolla_Ph%C3%A1draig_dynasty) also rest there.<ref>{{cite book|last=Carrigan |first=William |author-link=William Carrigan |year=1905 |title=The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory |volume=2 |publisher=Sealy, Bryers & Walker |location=Dublin}}</ref> The chest is decorated with [tracery](/source/tracery) and [lierne vaulting](/source/Lierne_(vault)) in [relief](/source/relief).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/kilkenny/fertagh/fertagh.html|title=Grangefertagh Round Tower & Church}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelmania-ireland.com/place.php?id=395|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911122314/http://www.travelmania-ireland.com/place.php?id=395|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 September 2016|title=Travelmania Ireland - Fertagh / Grangefertagh Round Tower and Church Ruins, County Kilkenny}}</ref>
A 2020 article<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Mike |date=2020 |title= Mac Giolla Phádraig Osraí 1384-1534 AD Part II. |journal= The Journal of the Fitzpatrick Clan Society |volume= 1 |pages= 40–71|doi= 10.48151/fitzpatrickclansociety00320 |doi-access= free }}</ref> reviews various unusual aspects of the tomb that scholars, including Carrigan,<ref>{{cite book|last=Carrigan |first=William |author-link=William Carrigan |year=1905 |title=The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory |volume=2, p.295 |publisher=Sealy, Bryers & Walker |location=Dublin}}</ref> have found make it an exception compared with other similar tombs built by Ormond<ref>{{cite book|last=Hunt |first=John |year=1974 |title= Irish Medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600: A study of Irish tombs with notes on costume and armour |publisher= Irish University Press |location=Dublin}}</ref> sculptors.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.megalithicireland.com/Grangefertagh%20Round%20Tower,%20Kilkenny.html Megalithic Ireland page on Grangefertagh]
*[https://www.fitzpatrickclan.org/ The Fitzpatrick Clan Society]
*[https://fitzpatricksociety.com/ The Fitzpatrick – Mac Giolla Phádraig Clan Society]

Category:Augustinian monasteries in the Republic of Ireland
Category:Archaeological sites in County Kilkenny
Category:National monuments in County Kilkenny
Category:Religion in County Kilkenny
Category:Monasteries dissolved under the Irish Reformation
Category:FitzPatrick dynasty

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Grangefertagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grangefertagh) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grangefertagh?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.