Monasterboice

38 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Monasterboice, from 47 m² to 705,592 m² (70.56 ha, 174.36 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 28 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

No zone of a development plan covers Monasterboice 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.

• 26 Aug 2026N/a

  Retention permission for the incorporation of veranda into front of existing dwelling, extension to kitchen and domestic shed

  Retention · Louth County Council, 2660577

• 25 Jun 2026N/a

  Permission for the change of use of an existing dwelling annex from residential to short-term letting

  Permission · Louth County Council, 2660416

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 Monasterboice.

Recorded monuments

• LH021-062001 Ecclesiastical enclosure
  Description

  The monastic remains at Monasterboice constitutes a National Monument consisting of a small enclosed graveyard (LH021-062002-) with two small churches (LH021-062003-; LH021-062004-), a round tower (LH021-062006-), three high crosses (LH021-062007-; LH021-062008-; LH021-062009-), a bullaun stone (LH021-062010-), sundial (LH021-062011-) and a number of grave-slabs (LH021-062012-; LH021-062013-; LH021-062014-). It may be located on a prehistoric ritual site as a cist (LH021-062005-) was found beneath the north church (Hasee 1892). Isaac Butler recorded a holy well (LH021-062022-) dedicated to a Saint Kiarnan outside the graveyard at SW in 1744, which explains why this angle is excluded from the graveyard itself (Deane 1922, 106). The site is best known for its high crosses, especially the magnificent South Cross, which has an inscription declaring that it was erected by Muiredach, who may be the abbot who died in A. D. 924. Accounts of Monasterboice and its crosses can be found in many sources especially Macalister (1946), Roe (1981), Harbison (1979; 1992), Henry (1980), Richardson and Scarry (1990) and Manning (2014). Founded by St. Buíthe, who died about 520 and who gave his name to the place (Mainistir Buíthe - the monastery of Buíthe), it came to prominence in the Irish annals from the early eighth century and continued to be mentioned frequently up until the twelfth century, mainly in relation to the deaths of ecclesiastics associated with it. Strangely it is one of the very few places in early medieval Ireland with the element mainistir in its name, so much so that it was frequently known by this element alone and ecclesiastics from it were referred to with the epithet mainistreach (of Monasterboice). Examples are Eoghan Mainistreach, abbot of Armagh and Clonard, who died in 834 and, most famous of all, Flann Mainistreach, a great poet and man of learning, who died in 1056. It had close associations both with the Columban federation of churches and with Armagh. Though it is likely to have been raided by the Vikings, there is no clear individual reference to such a raid. In the twelfth century it lost out in neither becoming the centre of one of the new territorial dioceses nor in becoming the site of a monastery of one of the recently imported continental orders. Indeed it became quickly overshadowed by the first Cistercian house to be established in Ireland, Mellifont (LH023-007002-), which was founded in 1142 less than three miles away to the south-west , while Monasterboice was reduced to the status of a parish church. The settlement appears to have gradually become deserted and a new settlement was established less than a mile to the south-east called Newtown Monasterboice. However, the churches remained a place of local pilgrimage and devotion, and the head of St. Buithe, presumably encased in a metal shrine, was kept in one of the churches up to the early sixteenth century (Ó Riain 2011, 131-3). By the seventeenth century the churches were in ruin but the graveyard has continued as a place of burial up to the present day. The present graveyard containing the churches and crosses is but a small part of the large settlement that was here in early medieval times. The extent of this settlement is indicated by records of souterrains in the surrounding fields and by traces of large enclosures visible in aerial photographs. A geophysical survey carried out in 2008 has given us a more accurate picture of the extent and nature of the subsurface archaeological features around the graveyard (Manning 2014). Ecclesiastical sites like Monasterboice had a sizeable lay population, involved in farming, craft-work and trade, living within the outer enclosure. An aerial photograph taken by L. Swan shows cropmarks indicating the remains of the original outer enclosure (Roe 1981, pl. XXI). Three souterrains (LH021-062015-; LH021-062017-; LH021-062018-) are known from within it (Roe 1981, 76). Aerial photograph (GB90.BH.27) shows a curved fosse delimiting part of the ecclesiastical enclosure surrounding the church and round tower; the fosse appears partly as a cropmark (foreground) and partly as a low-level earthwork (in field directly south of farm). A Geophysical survey suggests the presence of an inner enclosure (diam. c. 130m) around the graveyard and an outer oval enclosure (dims c. 350m NW-SE; c. 250m NE-SW), both defined by fosses (Anon. 2009, fig. 2). Rescue excavation (C000723) has confirmed the line of the outer enclosure on the east side (Murphy and Stirland 2016) as determined by Gosling in Roe (1981). The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Con Manning Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062002 Graveyard
  Description

  A sub-square shaped graveyard (max. map dims 71m N-S; 61m E-W) with the remains of two churches (LH021-062003-; LH021-062004-) in the north and centre. The graveyard contains a medieval sundial and two grave-slabs, one (sometimes referred to as the Ruarcan slab) with a double-lined incised inscription and cross, the other with part of a poorly incised cross. The grave-slabs are situated close to the N and S walls of the N church. A third slab was recovered from the graveyard in 1989 and has not previously been recorded. It is an almost rectangular piece of greywacke (max. L 0.6m; Wth 0.18m, T 0.09m) and has a similar simple deeply incised cross on each face. Among the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century headstones in the graveyard there are some very fine examples of folk art as well as two headstones with inscriptions partly in Irish. Isaac Butler recorded a holy well (LH021-062022-) dedicated to a Saint Kiarnan outside the graveyard at SW in 1744, which explains why this angle is excluded from the graveyard itself (Deane 1922, 106). The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of amended upload: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062003 Church
  Description

  The North Church is a simple rectangular building (int. dims 10.4m E-W; 4.1m N-S) of greywacke with some very large blocks of stone close to the wall footings. It has the remains of two doorways and four windows, two in each of the side walls. The S doorway has only two jamb stones remaining at each side. They are of chamfered grey sandstone. There are bolt-holes at each side of the doorway. The W doorway has a two-centred arch of chamfered sandstone blocks having two stones at each side. The four windows have single lights framed with grey sandstone and are revealed on the outside for movable wooden shutters. There is a small recess or aumbry with a round-headed arch at the E end of the S wall. The style of the windows with rebates for shutters suggests a thirteenth-century date for this church. It may have replaced an earlier shrine church dedicated to St. Buíthe and may have housed the head of the saint, which was stolen in the sixteenth century (Ó Riain 201, 131-3). This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. See the attached view from SW Revised by Con Manning Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062004 Church
  Description

  The South Church, according to Macalister (1946, 20), is older and more important than the North church (LH021-062003-) and was clearly the parish church in later medieval times. It is built mainly of greywacke with some sandstone (int. dims. 10.95m E-W; 5.65m N-S), has opposing doorways with reveals, and the remains of one window. It originally consisted of a divided nave and chancel but the chancel arch is almost completely destroyed and blocked up. There are no above-ground remains of the chancel. The earliest phase was a simple rectangular church with a lintelled west doorway dating from about the eleventh century. In a second phase, probably twelfth century, the west doorway was blocked, new doorways were opened in the north and south walls and a chancel, no longer extant, was added at the east end. Illustrations as late as 1866 show the chancel arch still standing. Finally in about the fifteenth century the south wall, which had started to lean outwards dramatically, was partially and clumsily rebuilt and a new window inserted. In the west wall are four stones with a longitudinal groove in each, which have been reused as quoins at each side. These are from an early stone shrine. This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Con Manning Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062005 Cist
  Description

  A short cist, containing a Cordoned Urn and porcellanite axe, was discovered in 1878 c. 1m below the floor level of smaller church (LH021-062003-) at Monasterboice (Hasse 1892, 145-50, fig. 1; CLAJ 1931, 332-4). The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 July 2007

• LH021-062006 Round tower
  Description

  This Round Tower, despite its ruined upper portion, is one of the tallest in Ireland, its present height being c. 30.5m. It is built of roughly coursed slabs and blocks of greywacke. This is a fine example of a typically Irish early medieval free-standing bell tower probably dating from the eleventh century. As is normally the case the doorway here is above ground level but the upper floor, where the bell or bells would have hung, is lacking and has been since at least the eighteenth century. These towers had wooden floors connected by ladders and it appears that books and treasures associated with the church were sometimes stored in them. This was certainly the case here in AD 1097, when the annals state that this tower was burned, whether accidentally or on purpose is not recorded, ‘with its books and many treasures’. Its round-headed doorway at the E side, c. 2m above the present ground level, is constructed with moulded and carved sandstone blocks with a single large rounded arch stone. This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. See the attached view from ESE. The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Con Manning Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062007 Cross - High cross
  Description

  The Crosses at Monasterboice have been described in some detail by Roe (1981) and Harbison (1992) with full references. Two crosses remain complete (the South: LH021-062007- and West: LH021-062008-), while there is also the head and part of the shaft of a third (North Cross: LH021-062009-), now re-erected on a partly modern shaft. Two other cross fragments (LH021-062020-; LH021-062021-) were found while grave-digging and are stored in the National Museum of Ireland (Lucas 1973, 198). One is the arm of a cross, badly damaged and worn, and the other is possibly the head of a similar cross. Both are of sandstone and appear to be from crosses of the same proportions (Roe 1981, 67-9). Roe (ibid. 15) states that the wealth and variety of the pictorial illustrations on the South and West Crosses are unparalleled elsewhere in Ireland. The South Cross, also called Muiredach’s Cross, with a height of 5.2m and a width across the arms of 2.14m, is truly monumental and the sculpted biblical scenes are so finely executed that Roger Stalley (2007), the art historian, has called the unknown sculptor the Muiredach Master and has pointed to other crosses at Kells, Durrow and Clonmacnoise that are likely to have been carved by the same man. An inscription in Irish on the shaft indicates that a certain Muiredach, likely to be the Muiredach who died in 924 as successor of Buíthe and vice-abbot of Armagh, had the cross made. This in itself was no mean task as the very high quality sandstone had to be sourced, probably near Nobber, Co. Meath, quarried and transported to the site and then sculpted and erected on its base. The most significant scenes are those at the junction of the arms and shaft and central to the ring at each side, the crucifixion facing west and the last judgement facing east, with the blessed on one arm and the damned on the other. There are Old Testament scenes on the east side of the shaft and New Testament scenes on the west side. All surfaces of the stone are sculpted as is the base, which has suffered much from weathering. The inscription is carved on the base of the shaft on the west side around and between a high relief carving of two cats, one licking its kitten while the other is about to eat a small bird. There are similar whimsical carvings in the same position on the other sides: two men pulling each other’s beards, two cats fighting and two cats (?) biting each other’s tails. This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. See the attached views: _1 from E; _2 from W The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062008 Cross - High cross
  Description

  The Crosses at Monasterboice have been described in some detail by Roe (1981) and Harbison (1992) with full references. Two crosses remain complete (the South: LH021-062007- and West: LH021-062008-), while there is also the head and part of the shaft of a third (North Cross: LH021-062009-), now re-erected on a partly modern shaft. Two other cross fragments (LH021-062020-; LH021-062021-) were found while grave-digging and are stored in the National Museum of Ireland (Lucas 1973, 198). One is the arm of a cross, badly damaged and worn, and the other is possibly the head of a similar cross. Both are of sandstone and appear to be from crosses of the same proportions (Roe 1981, 67-9). Roe (ibid. 15) states that the wealth and variety of the pictorial illustrations on the South and West Crosses are unparalleled elsewhere in Ireland. The West Cross, also called the Tall Cross, situated close to the North Church and the round tower, is 7.1m high and is again sculpted all over with biblical scenes. As with Muiredach’s Cross the crucifixion is in the centre of the cross head on the west side. There is some debate about the identification of the scene on the east side of the cross head, which has been variously interpreted as David among the Israelites, the Ascension, the Second Coming of Christ or Joshua. The Old Testament scenes are largely on the east face and the New Testament scenes on the west face. This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. See the attached view from E The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Con Manning Date of upload: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062009 Cross - High cross
  Description

  The Crosses at Monasterboice have been described in some detail by Roe (1981) and Harbison (1992) with full references. Two crosses remain complete (the South: LH021-062007- and West: LH021-062008-), while there is also the head and part of the shaft of a third (North Cross: LH021-062009-), now re-erected on a partly modern shaft. Two other cross fragments (LH021-062020-; LH021-062021-) were found while grave-digging and are stored in the National Museum of Ireland (Lucas 1973, 198). One is the arm of a cross, badly damaged and worn, and the other is possibly the head of a similar cross. Both are of sandstone and appear to be from crosses of the same proportions (Roe 1981, 67-9). Roe (ibid. 15) states that the wealth and variety of the pictorial illustrations on the South and West Crosses are unparalleled elsewhere in Ireland. The North Cross is of sandstone and has only the upper part of the shaft and a ringed-cross head remaining. It is sparsely decorated and has a crucifixion scene on the W face. ] This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94. The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Con Manning Date of upload: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062010 Bullaun stone
  Description

  Originally the upper stone of a rotary quern, it is set in ground inside the S wall of the S church (LH021-062004-). Previously, it rested on a stone inside the W doorway of this church but it was moved to its present position when broken by vandals. It is a small roughly rectangular stone with a circular hole through its centre. There is also a semi-circular hole along one edge. Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062011 Sundial
  Description

  A monolith of fine greenish sandstone (H 1.85m) now erected beside the N cross (LH021-062009-) at Monasterboice. The S face is decorated and there is a plain panel in slight relief at the top of each of the narrow sides. At the top of the S face there are the remains of two horizontal lines. At the mid-point of the lower of these there is a small hole from which three incised lines radiate. Each of these lines terminates in three prongs indicating the hours of terce, sext and none. Below the sundial there is an incised circle, now faint. A vertical line divides this circle in two. There is another circle below the last; this surrounds an incised maltese cross. See attached photographs courtesy of M.J. Harley (https://www.sundials-ireland.com/amedieval/medmellifont.htm) Compiled by: Claire Breen Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 27 May 2022

• LH021-062012 Cross-slab
  Description

  A fragment of a greenish slab (max. L 0.55m; max. Wth 0.45m) bearing part of a very weathered incised Latin cross. It is erected against the exterior of the S wall of the N church (LH021-062003-). This is one of three cross-slabs at Monasterboice (see also: LH021-062013-; LH021-062014-). Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062013 Cross-slab
  Description

  Sometimes referred to as the Ruarcan slab, this is an irregular-shaped greenish coloured slab (max. L 1.72m; max. Wth 0.77m) which bears a Latin cross, a rectangular frame of two deeply incised lines and an Irish inscription which reads ‘Or du Ruarcan’. It is set in concrete and surrounded by a low iron paling on the N side of the N church (LH021-062003-). It is one of three cross-slabs at Monasterboice (see also: LH021-062012-; LH021-062014-). (Lionard 1961, 131) Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062014 Cross-slab
  Description

  This cross-slab was recovered from the graveyard in 1989. It is an almost rectangular piece of greywacke (max. L 0.6m; Wth 0.18m; T 0.09m) and has a similar simple deeply incised cross on each face. It is one of three cross-slabs at Monasterboice (see also: LH021-062012-; LH021-062013-). The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062015 Souterrain
  Description

  Situated outside the NW corner of Monasterboice graveyard but within the inner ecclesiastical enclosure (LH021-062001-). It is described as consisting of two, largely rock-cut chambers each '15 feet by 4' 6 inches (c. 4.6m x c. 1.4m5)' connected by a passage '5 feet high (c. 1.5m)' according to Keenan (1945, 52). It is now inaccessible. (Roe 1981, 76-8) The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062017 Souterrain
  Description

  Situated beneath a cottage E of the gateway to Monasterboice graveyard, and within the monastic enclosure (LH021-062001-). It is described by Keenan (1945, 52) as being '4 or 5 ft deep' (c. 1.2 - 1.5m). It is now inaccessible. (Roe 1981, 76-8) The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 July 2007

• LH021-062018 Souterrain
  Description

  Situated to NW of Monasterboice graveyard but probably outside the outer ecclesiastical enclosure (LH021-062001-). It is marked only on the 1910 ed. of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as 'Cave', but no description of it is available. It is now inaccesible. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 11 May 2016

• LH021-062019 Cross - High cross
  Description

  A cross shaft (H 1.75m; Wth 0.48m; T 0.34m) is beside the N cross (LH021-062009-). (Harbison 1992, 152-3; No 178) Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062020 Cross - High cross
  Description

  Head-fragment now in NMI. (Harbison 1992, 153; No 179) Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062021 Cross - High cross
  Description

  Shaft fragment now in NMI. (Harbison 1992, 153; No 180) Compiled by: Claire Breen Date of upload: 20 July 2012

• LH021-062022 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Located outside the SW wall of the graveyard (LH021-062002-). Isaac Butler recorded a holy well dedicated to a Saint Kiarnan outside the graveyard at SW in 1744 (Deane 1922, 106), which explains why this angle is excluded from the graveyard itself. There is no evidence of the well now. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 11 May, 2016

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Monasterboice.

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

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

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

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both 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 Monasterboice with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Louth.

Name

Monasterboice · Mainistir Bhuithe

Area

1,116,622 m² (111.66 ha, 275.92 acres)

Civil parish

Monasterboice, and its townlands

Barony

Ferrard

Electoral division

Monasterboice, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Monasterboice electoral division: 1,445 people in 491 households; 93% of households own their home; 29% of homes were built since 2001; 3% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Barabona, Bawntaaffe, Newtown Monasterboice, Paddock, Rathdaniel, Timullen, Tinure

Placenames

Monasterboice 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.