Site of Holy Cross Dominican Priory

ROOF NAVE BELFRY TOWER TRANSEPT EAST WINDOW Location, location, location The heart of Medieval Tralee The original roof may have been of wooden Here the laity heard mass. A rood The tower was a later At a right angle to the nave Lighting the high altar, the east shingles or even thatch. The Priory was screen – a carved panel with a crucifix addition, most likely during and containing a small side window was one of the church’s The Priory stood on a low hill surrounded by water refurbished during the 16th century and was or rood surmounting it – partitioned the refurbishment of the 16th chapel, the transept was added most significant features. It is likely and marshy ground, essentially on an island created You are standing on the site of the dominican roofed with ceramic tiles some of which the nave from the chancel, which was century. Towers were initially during the later refurbishment. that it was originally a series of tall, by the Big River (also known as the River Gyle) and a were found during the excavations reserved for the monks seen as a sign of extravagance An aisle was also created at narrow windows with pointed smaller tributary. The Big River would have followed but they were added to many the same time, marking the arches, and whether it had plain or the line of the present-day Mall, Staughton’s Row Priory of the Holy Cross, known locally as the ‘Abbey’. It monasteries from the 14th side of the nave by a row of stained glass is uncertain. During the century onwards pillars or columns 16th century refurbishment the and on to Prince’s Quay, while the tributary would was founded in 1243 during a period of rapid expansion window may well have been have taken a course that is today Denny Street and in the town. While people had lived in the area for over MAIN DOOR widened and shortened. Ornate and Ivy Terrace. The Priory grounds were enclosed by a The focus of public access to the church, delicate tracery, thin strips of wall. Outside the wall wooden quays would have the main door area was often elaborately supporting stone, would have been lined the river, allowing access for trading vessels up 5,000 years, a settlement with urban buildings only introduced along with stained glass, carved and decorated. Inside, the to five tons. Trade and the revenue derived from congregation stood or knelt as there transforming its appearance. A developed after the arrival of the Anglo-Norman FitzGerald family trade were vital to the continued success of the would have been only limited seating typical example is shown here Priory. Inside the wall there were agricultural and around the walls in the early 1200s. The FitzGeralds built up their power base in storage buildings, orchards, gardens, animal pens, Munster not just by violent conquest but also by establishing fields and the Priory graveyard.

KITCHEN A stone-lined drain uncovered during the excavations indicates the location of the ABB EY S TREE kitchen, the garderobe or toilet, T BALLOONAGH THE SQUARE and the lavatorium or RIVER washroom, all requiring access to the drain. Fear Priory precinct BIG RIVER (RIVER GYLE) You are here of fire meant that the (circa 1243)

W TRANSEPT kitchen was one of the O MAIN DOOR R few rooms where a fire ’S T E E N R T O CHURCH could be lit, its warmth a S T B THE E BUILDING DIMENSIONS RIDGE M H H LANE ALL S Priory A G HIGH ALTAR contrast to the cold and U EAST WINDOW A DO D T M T E I footprint Overall footprint: damp in the living quarters. It would have A N S E ICK O R ST THE SQUARE R T 2 S LO KITCHEN E W W E 1,000m approx been equipped with vessels of wood, ceramic, G R C E A CLOISTER D STL N I E R STR B EET A iron and bronze like the large basin from BBEY Overall length: ST Kilteean above CHAPTER HOUSE 43m – 53m approx Stone castle, built W O sometime after 1216 R Priory S REFECTORY ABBEY COURT Overall width: N O T H G ABBEY 48m approx U ABBEY A T CAR PARK S COURT DORMITORY LO WER ABB EY S Holy Cross T BIG RIVER T E E Dominican C E A R TRIBUTARY L T P S Church Y Y E REFECTORY N ABBEY CAR PARK R F T N D E E E O D LO The dining room was known as the frater or G R WE T R S ABB EY Y STR SACRISTY R EET refectory. There was a separate refectory for A M CAR PARK lay brothers, those who carried out the a small room in which vestments St John’s and sacred vessels were kept Church Presentation manual labour in the Priory. There was a Y A Convent U Q IV Y varied diet and while meat was not ’S T E E Pearse C RR N A CHAPTER HOUSE I C supposed to be eaten, this abstinence R E Park P was not strictly observed. The Here monks met daily, to discuss business and PEAR castles, towns, churches and monasteries, and were eventually potential for contamination in the to hear a chapter of the monastic rule SE ROAD water supply meant that alcohol was created Earls of Desmond. In Tralee, their first building of note a safer drink than water, and weak beer DORMITORY as well as wine would have been served Dedicated to prayer and learning, the monks rose at two o’clock in was the castle, located at the junction of the present day Castle in jugs like this bronze one from the morning and retired around seven at night. They slept in a dormitory on the floor above the cloister. The lay brothers had Town Park Street and Denny Street, and an urban centre began to grow separate sleeping quarters on the opposite side (Castle Green) CLOISTER around it. By 1243 the town was large enough to support the new The cloister had four covered walkways lining the four sides of a courtyard. It was often located south of the church so mendicant order of the Dominicans, which relied on donations of that the north walkway received enough light for reading and writing. It connected various parts of building, money and gifts from the communities it served. With the providing a sheltered link between them patronage of the FitzGeralds, the Dominican Order was invited to build on a prime location adjacent to the castle. Inextricably linked The Dominicans in Tralee What archaeologists uncovered Including gardens and lands extending over a five-acre Although the Priory had long been levelled to the ground the foundations remained in from its foundation, the fortunes of the Priory followed those of site, the Priory in Tralee was one of the most substantial place. A number of stone fragments were unearthed in the 1950s and 1960s during the the FitzGeralds. Under their protection it was able to withstand in Ireland. The Dominicans also had a corn mill and course of building work. From the 1990s onwards, however, a series of thirteen acres of land in Ballyvelly, about a mile to the excavations revealed the building’s footprint, allowing archaeologists to map the upheaval of the Reformation, but the catastrophic rebellion of west of the town, where they had fishing rights. Further the layout of the Priory. Carved and decorated architectural pieces from west, they had a daughter house on a two-acre site in the buildings were recovered, including sections of a supporting column Some surviving stones from the Priory the last Earl in the 1580s brought the beginning of the end. In . The Priory’s influence extended into the fertile from the church. One of the blocks of cut sandstone had a mason’s successive waves of destruction the Priory began to disappear from plains of north Kerry, with a number of areas there mark, the signature of the man who worked on it. A number of burials Most of the stone from the Priory was later used to re-build the town and today nothing but fragments of the building paying five per cent of their corn harvest as a church tax were recorded around the church and cloister, and one of these, located remain above ground. Three interesting examples can be seen in the following locations view and today nothing remains above ground but stone fragments. known as a tithe. Altogether, the Dominicans were under the cloister walkway, had a perforated scallop shell resting on its capable of generating a significant income to support chest. This man had probably made the pilgrimage to the shrine of St James HOLY WATER STOUP – DOMINICAN CHURCH TOMB WEEPER – KERRY COUNTY MUSEUM DEFACED VIRGIN – PRESENTATION CONVENT Properly known as a stoup rather than font as The sides of a richly carved tomb would have This carving is now embedded in the wall of the their community of approximately twenty friars. In 1584 at Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, scallop shells being the cherished is an external feature, it is made of three been decorated with a figure such as this Presentation Convent. The faces of the Virgin the Priory’s annual income was estimated at £12 18s (the mementos of that journey. Three stone tombs were recorded, high status burials that are separate pieces of stone joined together at a known as a ‘weeper’. It depicts a knight Mary and the angels were deliberately smashed, equivalent economic power of €1 million today), making more than likely those of members of the FitzGerald family. More domestically, bits of much later date. The basin is sitting on top of wearing a surcoat, chainmail and belt, and possibly by Cromwellian soldiers in their zeal to Priory timeline it one of the wealthiest Dominican houses in Ireland. pottery, ceramic roof and green glazed floor tiles were also recovered. what was once a piece of the cloister arcade holding a shield and sword in his left hand eradicate Catholicism and all its symbols

1200 1216 1243 1286 1298 1329 1356 1537 1579-83 1580 1587 1622 1652 Anglo-Normans arrive in Foundation of Tralee by John Foundation of Dominican Priory Tralee receives a murage grant Borough status granted Maurice FitzGerald is created First is buried Reformation in Ireland Desmond Rebellion Earl of Desmond orders Tralee Tralee is granted to Edward Dominicans return to Tralee Final destruction of the priory Kerry via by John FitzThomas FitzGerald to build a town wall by royal charter first Earl of Desmond in the Priory in Tralee to be burnt down Denny and rebuilt FitzThomas FitzGerald Church lands and properties are During this large-scale military conflict Although the Priory is in a ruinous state by Cromwellian forces In the following years virtually all The place name Trá Lí (the strand The arrival of this influential religious Foundation remains of the medieval Tralee has 100 houses and The House of Desmond (Kerry He had been Lord Justice of confiscated by King Henry VIII of Munster is devastated by a ‘scorched Despite this desperate measure, Tralee is After the Earl of Desmond’s beheading in there are about twelve Dominicans The remains of the Priory are finally the fertile lands in north Kerry of the ) is older than order suggests that by the middle of stone wall or earlier earth and approximately 600 inhabitants, and Limerick) is now one of Ireland and also fought in England. Four years later he earth’ policy deployed by both sides. subsequently captured and the Priory 1583 Munster is colonised by English in Tralee by 1633 defaced and destroyed by Cromwellian and Limerick are conquered by the Anglo-Norman town the 13th century Tralee has become timber defences have yet typical of a small market town the most powerful dynasties France with King Edward III declares himself king of Ireland Thousands of civilians die occupied by 300 footmen and settlers. Rebellion breaks out again in soldiers. The Prior, Thaddeus Moriarty, the powerful FitzGeralds a well-established town to be discovered in medieval Ireland in the Hundred Years War a company of horse 1598, bringing more destruction is tortured and hanged in 1653

THIS INFORMATION DISPLAY WAS FUNDED BY TRALEE TOWN COUNCIL , 2013 – ARCHAEOLOGY: DR MICHAEL CONNOLLY (), FRANK COYNE (AEGIS ARCHAEOLOGY), PROFESSOR ROGER STALLEY – TEXT: HELEN O’CARROLL (KERRY COUNTY MUSEUM) – MAIN ILLUSTRATION: NAOMI M cBRIDE – PHOTOGRAPHS OF BRONZE BASIN AND JUG: © NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND – PHOTOGRAPHY: DOMNICK WALSHE – LAYOUT: THE DESIGN GANG – FABRICATION: SIGNIATEC