St. Mullins is beautifully situated on a high wooded promontory on the east bank of the River Barrow, overlooked by the Blackstairs Mountains to the east and Mount Brandon to the west.
St. Mullins is one of the county’s most important archaeological sites containing aspects of both religious and secular history. It is very much a place of tradition with both the graveyard and holy well still in use by local people.
St. Mullins – ecclesiastical ruins
This important monastery was founded by St. Moling in the seventh century and it had close links with Ferns in Co. Wexford and Glendalough in Co. Wicklow. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the earliest of times and St. Moling’s Well is still venerated for its powers of healing.
The ecclesiastical ruins are situated in the back of the graveyard and they include five churches and the remains of a round tower. The monastery probably contained several high crosses but only the upper portion and base of one solid-wheeled cross remains. The cross shows a large figure of Christ and the Apostles. Teampall Mór is the oldest church, parts of which may date from the tenth or eleventh century.
South of Teampall Mór lie the remains of the largest church, the ‘Abbey’, which is probably fifteenth century. To the east of the ‘Abbey’ is a tiny oratory of uncertain date, dedicated to St. James. To the south are two further structures, probably post-medieval in date. The larger, a domestic building with a fireplace also has an unusual diamond shaped window in the east wall. The smaller building now functions as a mausoleum for the Kavanagh family (descendants of the Mac Murchada Kings of Leinster). Here can be seen a modest memorial to King Art Mac Murchada Caomhánach who was poisoned at New Ross in 1417. It is claimed that such was the popularity of Art that as his body arrived in St. Mullins for burial, the funeral procession was still leaving New Ross some 15km away.