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one of which is in the village of Fore. There are 18 crosses; some crosses are plain (most likely due to wind and rain erosion) whilst others still remain carved. These are spread out over 7 miles on roadways. The lands associated with the abbey in the middle ages were extensive taking in many of the
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had built a
Benedictine priory in the valley near the Gaelic Monastery. Many of the buildings that remain today (in ruins) are from the 13th and 15th century and have been restored throughout the 20th century, making Fore Abbey and environs one of the largest group of Benedictine ruins and
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version of the Irish "Fobhair", meaning "water-springs". The name is derived from St. Feichin's spring or well which is next to the 'old church' (7th century Irish church with cellae), a short distance from the ruined later monastery. The site is referenced in the
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In spite of assertions to holding huge numbers of monks and students, Medieval Fore Priory never had any more than a handful of monks under a prior, who were most likely drawn from the Anglo-Norman aristocracy, if not 'French' in
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in a cell, which is a small tower house on the slope above the churches with a mausoleum to the Nugent family added in the 19th century, giving the whole structure the appearance of a church. Photo: The
Anchorite Cell (below
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based at Lough Lene and his fort on
Randoon, between Collinstown and modern Castlepollard; and the O'Reilly Lords of Breifne (modern Cavan) as the power of the Gaelic kings of Meath waned in 1169.
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and Early Gaelic 7th century Abbey with associated Mill, Anchorite's Cell, Holy Wells and a structure associated with St. Feichin, all situated to the north of
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without a race (St. Fechin reportedly induced water to flow from the ground and operate a mill that had no visible water supply - in reality water from
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In the boundary arch between the original structure and the chancel, an effigy of a monk - though possibly a Sheela-na-gig - is set into the arch.
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Attached to the church are the broken walls of two towers, where the monks once lived, and the de Lacy vassal
Richard de Tuite held an apartment
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ecclesiastical landscape to have sojourned and remained in
Ireland. This priory was dedicated to both St Féichín and
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A small 'high cross' in solid masonry was set up at the original entrance to the site possibly in the 10th century
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and functioned for over 400 years till re-founded by de Lacy in around 1200 as a cell of the Abbey of Évreux, now
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Its 13th century church still has some painted plaster decorations in the church and graceful arcaded cloister.
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Between 771 and 1169 Fore Abbey was burnt 12 times by pillaging invaders, such as the Viking Lord
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Masterson, R. (2014) Medieval Fore, County
Westmeath, Four Courts Press, Dublin.
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Masterson, R. (2014) Medieval Fore, County
Westmeath, Four Courts Press, Dublin.
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uphill. (St. Fechin reportedly used his staff to make the water flow uphill)
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The 'old church' (7th century) had a chancel added in the 13th century
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The abbey is also noted for what locals call the "Seven
Wonders":
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List of abbeys and priories in
Ireland (County Westmeath)
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flows through the ground). Photo: St. Féichín's Mill
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This article is about the abbey. For other uses, see
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Christian monasteries established in the 7th century
679:Benedictine monasteries in the Republic of Ireland
16:Ruined Benedictine monastery in Westmeath, Ireland
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303:in France as the 'Abbey of SS. Féichín &
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445:that has three branches/the tree that won't
615:"Ó Cibhleacháin - Irish Names and Surnames"
510:townlands/parishes around Castlepollard.
343:By 1200, the Gaelic Abbey was secularized
669:Archaeological sites in County Westmeath
502:Another important aspect of Fore is the
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684:Tourist attractions in County Westmeath
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699:National monuments in County Westmeath
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291:The 7th century abbey was founded by
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594:CELT: The Corpus of Electronic Texts
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694:Former populated places in Ireland
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689:Ruins in the Republic of Ireland
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234:Fore Abbey & Fore town gates
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719:7th-century churches in Ireland
714:Churches completed in the 630s
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704:Ruined abbeys and monasteries
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664:Churches in County Westmeath
224:National monument of Ireland
205:abbey, hermitage, town gates
110:Important associated figures
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374:Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath
114:Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath
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186:53.683902°N 7.227311°W
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397:Seven Wonders of Fore
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50:Monastery information
21:Fore (disambiguation)
372:In the 13th century
368:A Benedictine Priory
314:Annals of Inisfallen
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191:53.683902; -7.227311
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709:630 establishments
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287:A Gaelic Monastery
265:Mainistir Fhobhair
239:Reference no.
35:Mainistir Fhobhair
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543:Fore Village
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480:lintel-stone
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281:Fore village
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120:Architecture
61:Benedictines
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269:Benedictine
189: /
164:Coordinates
67:Established
658:Categories
624:23 October
576:References
530:Fore Abbey
498:Conclusion
422:Lough Lene
309:anglicised
273:Lough Lene
257:Fore Abbey
174:53°41′02″N
153:Lough Lene
137:Romanesque
100:Founder(s)
29:Fore Abbey
465:anchorite
407:monastery
379:St Taurin
326:Turgesius
177:7°13′38″W
151:North of
559:See also
305:Taurinus
148:Location
128:Inactive
517:Gallery
506:Crosses
484:prayers
392:origin.
104:Féichín
84:Diocese
599:25 May
468:right)
318:coarbs
297:630 CE
125:Status
95:People
70:630 CE
504:Fore
454:water
436:flows
261:Irish
133:Style
89:Meath
56:Order
626:2022
601:2020
478:The
463:The
458:boil
452:The
447:burn
443:tree
441:The
418:mill
416:The
405:The
143:Site
411:bog
295:in
275:in
213:yes
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