Free Admission to Jerpoint Abbey

This Heritage Week, come and explore one of Ireland’s most remarkable medieval sites — completely free of charge.

Founded around 1160 by Domnall Mac Gilla Pátraic, King of Ossory, this extraordinary Cistercian monastery is packed with stories waiting to be discovered.

Walk through the abbey church and see architecture changing before your eyes, as the solid curves of the Romanesque give way to the later Gothic style. Wander through the fifteenth-century cloister and look closely; you’ll find saints and patrons, medieval knights, wonderfully carved memorials, exotic animals and even strange mythological creatures hidden among the stonework.

Among the highlights are beautifully decorated tombs associated with the O’Tunney school and a striking thirteenth-century image of two knights carved into stone.

Families and younger visitors can become medieval detectives with a treasure hunt available from the Visitor Centre. How many knights, creatures and hidden figures can you find?

Whether you love history, architecture, archaeology, family days out — or simply enjoy exploring somewhere extraordinary — Heritage Week is the perfect opportunity to discover Jerpoint Abbey.