Holy Cross Abbey, Tipperary
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Holy Cross Abbey, TipperaryFree Admission Tourist Attraction in Ireland #10The Holy Cross Abbey is a restored Cistercian monastery and is located near Thurles in the heart of County Tipperary, less than a two-hours drive from Dublin, some 150km. A fragment of the 'true cross' on which Christ died was granted to the Abbey by the Plantagenet Queen, Isabella of Angoulême in the thirteenth century, estimated to be the year 1233. 
The Abbey has thus been a place of significant Christina pilgrimage for centuries as well as a symbol of Catholic resistance during the Reformation of the Church in the sixteenth century. The Abbey fell into ruins after the Cromwellian war but was re-listed as a national monument in the year 1880. Its restoration was complete in 1969 when the Sacristan of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican provided the Abbey with an authenticated relic of the Holy Cross. These relics were stolen in 2011 but later recovered and returned to the Abbey. 
The Abbey is one of the most popular tourist attractions in County Tipperary and is located a short distance from the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle. Holycross village is small but has a number of public houses and cafes. The Rock of Cashel attracts much of the attention from visitors in this part of the country but those who take the trouble to visit Holycross are seldom disappointed. The local community have also pitched in and offer guided tours -check in advance so as not to be disappointed. They can tell you all about 'the whispering arch', the night stairs, the oldest bell in Ireland and the medieval painted friezes and the marvellous stone carvings. The Abbey is something of a hidden gem. |
Video about the Holy Cross Abbey, Tipperary |
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