Old Mellifont Abbey

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Old Mellifont Abbey

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Old Mellifont Abbey is the ruin of the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland. It was founded in 1142 by St.Malachy of Armagh and is now managed by the OPW.

The first Cistercian monastery in Ireland founded in 1142 by St Malachy of Armagh, its most unusual feature is the octagonal Lavabo c. 1200. The Visitor Centre houses an interesting exhibition on the work of masons in the Middle Ages with fine examples of their craft on display. Access to site by stone stairway. Location: 10km north-west of Drogheda off the R168 (Drogheda-Collon Road)

Bus Route(s): Contact Bus Eireann, Travel Centre +353 1 836 6111

Guided Tours: Available on request
Max No: 35 - 40
Duration: 40 minutes

Leaflet/Guide book: English, Irish, French, German, Italian, Spanish. Seasonal Events: Please check in advance using contact details listed above. Photography / Video allowed: Yes, but permit required for commercial purposes

Additional Information: The Visitor Centre is fully accessible for visitors with disabilities.

02/11/2026

Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey on the feast of All Souls, which also happens to be the feast of St Malachy of Armagh. St Malachy, as Archbishop of Armagh, introduced to Cistercian Order to Ireland by founding our beautiful Abbey in 1142. Just a few years later he died in our Motherhouse of Clairvaux in the company of St. Bernard, who had inspired the introduction of the Order to Ireland. In Ireland we have lovely traditions to mark the feast of All Souls, including lighting a candle in the window to guide the Souls of the dead home, sweeping the floor and putting out a place setting of cutlery and a small meal for returning spirits and visiting the graves of the dead.
It is a perfect day for a visit to our lovely site. All welcome.

30/10/2026

"I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul."
Bram Stoker
Good afternoon from Old Mellifont Abbey. Although the guide service has finished for the season you can still visit on a self guided basis. The weather is perfect for a visit during Samhain.
Happy Halloween 🎃

15/10/2026

Very exciting, preparations for Winter Solstice 2026 at Newgrange are well underway. Lucky lottery winners, who get the chance to be in the burial chamber for dawn, will be notified in due course.
Fingers crossed for clear, bright and sunny mornings.

12/10/2026

"Mornings are like nature in spring. . . . humming with the sounds of life and the promise of a fresh new day!"
LeAura Alderson
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. A brand new week stretches out before us, full of potential.

01/10/2026

"When it rains look for rainbows, when its dark look for stars"
Oscar Wilde
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. Our final day onsite has arrived so there is still time to call in for a guided tour. The site will remain open over the winter to visit on a self guided basis (no toilets or exhibition centre access) and we will return in April.
All welcome.

30/09/2026

"Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits".
Samuel Butler
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. The wild winds of last night have wrenched the fruit off the Horse Chestnut tree and the path is strewn with conkers. Why not come and collect some for yourself.
All welcome 📸 Maeve

29/09/2026

"If you can train your senses to perceive the movement of the minute hand of a clock, what is to stop you from training them to 'slow down' when you look at a tree or a puddle ".
Colin Wilson
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. The Cistercians are a contemplative order, they separate from the world and focus on prayer and silence rarely leaving the enclosure of the monastery. The cloister was the focus of their daily life, with time spent in silence, prayer and spiritual reading. It is also where the instruction of novice monks would take place. Today many people come to Old Mellifont Abbey to seek the peace and tranquility of this beautiful place.
All welcome.

28/09/2026

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle".
Walt Whitman
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. Our final Monday morning of the season has dawned beautifully golden. There is the slightest nip in the air but it is truly a glorious Autumnal day.
All welcome.

27/09/2026

"September is more than a month, really; it is a season, an achievement in itself. It begins with August's leftovers and ends with October's preparations. . . . "
Hal Borland
Good morning from Old Mellifont Abbey. Our final Sunday of the season has arrived and so has the rain. Admittedly, not ideal for a visit but just pop on your raincoat, bring a brolly (maybe don your wellies) and call in. You can treat yourself to a coffee or maybe hot chocolate Insideoutcoffeeco. We will close for the season on October 1st so the countdown is on.
All welcome.

Address

Old Mellifont Abbey
Drogheda
CO.LOUTH

Telephone

041 982 6459

Website

https://heritageireland.ie/visit/places-to-visit/old-mellifont-abbey/

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