Inch Abbey

Places to See | Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

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Situated on the north bank of the River Quoile, Inch Abbey was originally located on a site that was an island in the Quoile Marshes.

These extensive remains are of a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1180, by John de Courcy, who led the 1177 Anglo-Norman invasion of East Ulster. It is set in a beautiful location beside the River Quoile, with distant views towards de Courcy’s Cathedral town of Downpatrick.

Before the Abbey was built there, there was a pre-Norman church called Inis Cumhscraigh on the site, which was plundered by Vikings in 1002. Its large earthworks, which can clearly been seen from the air, still survive in parts.

There are other historical sites in Northern Ireland linked with John de Courcy, the most important of which are: Cathedral Hill and Mound of Down, both at Downpatrick and the castles at Carrickfergus, Dundrum and Grey Abbey.

Downpatrick Railway operates steam trains and old diesel trains on the short stretch from Downpatrick to Inch Abbey. The trains terminate at the edge of the road leading to Inch Abbey and it’s only a short walk to Inch Abbey itself.

Address:  Inch Abbey, Downpatrick, Co. Down Northern Ireland

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