Black Abbey Attractions & Landmarks

Fascinating Dominican Friary

Abbey Street
off Parliament Street
Kilkenny,
Republic of Ireland
Phone No. +353 56 772 1279

Overview

First founded in 1225, this Dominican friary takes its unusual name from the fact that the resident monks used to wear a formal black cappa over their white habit. Established by William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, the abbey has had a turbulent history, having been shut down by Henry VIII and later left to ruin. Restored in the 1970s, the abbey features a range of monastic exhibits, including a pre-Reformation Irish oak statue of St. Dominic, and several stone coffins. The abbey is still in use today by members of the founding Dominican Order.