Abbey Island

24 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Abbey Island, from 17 m² to 26,605 m² (2.66 ha, 6.57 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 19 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Abbey Island in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 15 Nov 2023Conditional

  SITEWORKS AND PERMISSION IS FURTHER SOUGHT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SLATTED SHED

  Retention · Donegal County Council, 2351738

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Abbey Island.

Recorded monuments

• DG107-044001 Religious house - Cistercian monks
  Description

  Assaroe Abbey (DG107-044001-): This Cistercian monastery, a daughter house of Boyle, was founded in 1178. It was plundered in 1398 by Niall Óg O'Neill and was suppressed in the later 16th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 127). The only identifiable remains are those of the church and comprise the ivy-covered section of the S wall and W gable with its N return; c. 9m high. Built of rubble and split stone with sandstone dressings, only the NW ashlar quoin with chamfered arris is in situ. The S wall which acts as the graveyard (DG107-0044002-) boundary is 15.8m in length to the interior return of the W gable, represented by a few protruding bond stones. Sheds have been built against the exterior face of the wall. It is joined to the surviving N section of the W gable by a modern graveyard wall. The N splayed ingoing for a window survives in the upper section of this gable. Some .7m of attached N wall remains giving an internal church width of 8.39m. Many moulded fragments (DG107-044003-) of late 12th/early 13th century date are scattered throughout the cemetery and others including three capitals and one cusped piece of tracery were built into the graveyard wall when it was constructed in the 19th century at the instigation of Dr. D. MacGettigan, Catholic Bishop of Raphoe, 1861-70 (Moran ed. I, 1873, 176). The Ballyshannon sewerage scheme involved the monitoring by Giles Dawkes of Archaeological Development Services Ltd under licence No. 07E0620 of a series of machine-excavated trenches in areas identified as having archaeological potential in and around Ballyshannon. Numerous large masonry walls, built directly on the bedrock and surviving to a height of 1.4m, were recorded on the north side of the river immediately east of the bridge. These walls appear to relate to a large 18th-/19th-century British army barracks, possibly representing the parade ground and a large stabling area. The site was in use until the late 19th century, when it was demolished for use as a market-place. In addition, a well-faced stonemasonry block, possibly a doorjamb, was recovered from topsoil while monitoring trenches adjacent to the medieval Abbey Assaroe (DG107-044001-) (Bennett 2010, 75). Monitoring was undertaken by Giles Dawkes and Aaron Johnston, for Archaeological Development Services Ltd (ADS), under licence No. 07E0620 of groundworks associated with the Ballyshannon Sewerage Scheme, Co. Donegal. Work was carried out from June until November 2007 across Carrickboy, Townparks, Abbey Island and Abbeylands townlands in the Ballyshannon hinterland (Excavations 2007, No. 345). Monitoring of additional works was carried out in Main Street, Ballyshannon, in May 2008 and finally a section adjacent to the old army barracks was monitored in October 2008. A desk-based impact assessment by David Sweetman in 2003 was undertaken in advance of the development. This study selected areas of archaeological potential where monitoring was deemed appropriate. No archaeological features or remains were noted while monitoring topsoil-stripping outside the immediate environs of Ballyshannon town. However, in Abbey Island townland, to the north-west of Ballyshannon, a roughly rectangular stone masonry block was recorded at the side of the pipe trench and left in situ. This well-faced stone block, possibly a door jamb, may have originated from the adjacent medieval Assaroe Abbey (Bennett 2011, 83-4). The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 15 November 2011

• DG107-044002 Graveyard
  Description

  Assaroe Abbey (DG107-044001-): This Cistercian monastery, a daughter house of Boyle, was founded in 1178. It was plundered in 1398 by Niall Óg O'Neill and was suppressed in the later 16th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 127). The only identifiable remains are those of the church and comprise the ivy-covered section of the S wall and W gable with its N return; c. 9m high. Built of rubble and split stone with sandstone dressings, only the NW ashlar quoin with chamfered arris is in situ. The S wall which acts as the graveyard (DG107-0044002-) boundary is 15.8m in length to the interior return of the W gable, represented by a few protruding bond stones. Sheds have been built against the exterior face of the wall. It is joined to the surviving N section of the W gable by a modern graveyard wall. The N splayed ingoing for a window survives in the upper section of this gable. Some .7m of attached N wall remains giving an internal church width of 8.39m. Many moulded fragments (DG107-044003-) of late 12th/early 13th century date are scattered throughout the cemetery and others including three capitals and one cusped piece of tracery were built into the graveyard wall when it was constructed in the 19th century at the instigation of Dr. D. MacGettigan, Catholic Bishop of Raphoe, 1861-70 (Moran ed. I, 1873, 176). The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG107-044003 Architectural fragment
  Description

  Assaroe Abbey (DG107-044001-): This Cistercian monastery, a daughter house of Boyle, was founded in 1178. It was plundered in 1398 by Niall Óg O'Neill and was suppressed in the later 16th century (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 127). The only identifiable remains are those of the church and comprise the ivy-covered section of the S wall and W gable with its N return; c. 9m high. Built of rubble and split stone with sandstone dressings, only the NW ashlar quoin with chamfered arris is in situ. The S wall which acts as the graveyard (DG107-0044002-) boundary is 15.8m in length to the interior return of the W gable, represented by a few protruding bond stones. Sheds have been built against the exterior face of the wall. It is joined to the surviving N section of the W gable by a modern graveyard wall. The N splayed ingoing for a window survives in the upper section of this gable. Some .7m of attached N wall remains giving an internal church width of 8.39m. Many moulded fragments (DG107-044003-) of late 12th/early 13th century date are scattered throughout the cemetery and others including three capitals and one cusped piece of tracery were built into the graveyard wall when it was constructed in the 19th century at the instigation of Dr. D. MacGettigan, Catholic Bishop of Raphoe, 1861-70 (Moran ed. I, 1873, 176). The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG107-044004 Cave
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• DG107-044005 Bullaun stone
  Description

  A natural cavern known locally as 'Catsby' contains two basins carved in the natural rock (1) .05m in depth and 0.1m in diameter (2) .25m in depth and 0.3m in diameter. There is also a flat projecting area of rock 2m x .5m known as an 'altar'. This site is traditionally associated with Assaroe Abbey nearby (DG107-044001-). The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008

• DG107-046 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Holy well recorded in 1936 as 'There is another Tobar Patrick on the Abbey Island, in the suburbs of Ballyshannon. No stations are made there now. It is said that long ago pious people used first to make the Lough Derg pilgrimage, then the stations at St. Patrick's Well (DG107-043----), and finish up at Tobar Patrick ' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 144). Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload / revision : 01 November 2011

Architectural heritage

• Catsby, building misc, mass rock, 1690–1800 · Regional interest
  Description

  Former mass rock, in use from c. 1695 to c. 1750, comprising a flat projecting area of rock c. 2 metres x c. 0.5 metres traditional known as an 'altar'. Set in natural cave in a depression surrounded on three sides by natural rock walls (former quarry?) on the north bank of the Abbey River. Bullaun stone (DG107-044005-) with two carved basins set within cave. Located to the south-east of the remains of Assaroe Cistercian Abbey (DG107-044001-), and to the north-west of Ballyshannon town centre.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Abbey Island, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Abbey Island.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Abbey Island with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Donegal.

Name

Abbey Island

Area

71,819 m² (7.18 ha, 17.75 acres)

Civil parish

Kilbarron, and its townlands

Barony

Tirhugh

Electoral division

Ballyshannon Rural, the unit of the census

Census 2022

1,738 people lived in 624 households in the Ballyshannon Rural electoral division. 80% of households owned their home. 37% of homes were built since 2001. 9% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 16% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Abbeylands, Coolcholly, Crockacapple, Tirconeen, Townparks

Placenames

Abbey Island on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.