This church was previously honoured by Church Micro IE #40 placed by Mr Oda in 2012. We are bringing this church back into play as it is very significant historically.
The Black Abbey in Kilkenny is a Catholic priory of the Dominican Order established in 1225 and dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.
It is called the Black Abbey as the Dominicans were often referred to as "Black Friars" because of their black cloaks, worn over white habits.
In 1540 the priory was confiscated by Queen Elizabeth I of England and was later made into a courthouse. From 1642 to 1949 the Irish Catholic Condeferation was housed in the Black Abbey in an attempt to save both the Irish religion and the King, but this was ended by Oliver Cromwell's forces.
In 1776 the Dominicans rented the Abbey and started restoring it, and in 1816 it was once again a Dominican priory having its first public mass on the 25th of September that year.
Check out the impressive stained glass window in the South Transept known as the "Rosary Window", which is composed of five "lights" or great vertical panels, and is the largest stained glass window in Ireland. This window was created in 1892 by Mayers of Munich, and depicts the Mysteries of the Rosary.
Bring your own pen and tweezers... Stealth required!