Cong Abbey
View of the remains of Cong Abbey
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 Location within Ireland
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| Monastery information | |
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| Order | Augustinian |
| Established | 7th century (original structure), 12th century |
| Disestablished | 1542 |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Tuam |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Saint Feichin |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | National Monument |
| Style | early Gothic |
| Site | |
| Location | Cong, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°32′25″N 9°17′12″W / 53.54028°N 9.28667°WCoordinates: 53°32′25″N 9°17′12″W / 53.54028°N 9.28667°W |
| Visible remains | church building, cloisters, monks' fishing house |
| Public access | yes |
Cong Abbey is a historic site located at Cong, on the borders of counties Galway and Mayo, in Ireland's province of Connacht. The ruins of the former Augustinian abbey mostly date to the 13th century and have been described as featuring some of finest examples of medieval ecclesiastical architecture in Ireland.
In the early 7th century, a church was built at this site, reportedly by Saint Feichin. A later building was destroyed by fire in 1114. Within the next twenty years or so, Turlough Mor O’Connor, the High King of Ireland, refounded the abbey. Raiders from Munster destroyed the buildings in 1137 but they were rebuilt by King Turlough.
In 1198, his son, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (Rory O'Connor), Ireland's last High King, constructed new buildings and also lived the last 15 years of his life at the abbey. He died here and was reportedly briefly buried in the abbey before being exhumed and re-interred at Clonmacnoise. The monastery adopted the Augustinian rule some years later.
Cong Abbey was also closely associated with the O'Duffy family at least from 1097 to 1501. The Annals of the Four Masters record that in 1150, Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh, Archbishop of Connacht, died at Cong aged 75. His name is inscribed upon the processional Cross of Cong.
The Norman knight, William de Burgh, attacked Cong in 1203, and again the abbey was rebuilt.
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Wikipedia