Guided Tours of Holycross Abbey take place on every Sunday from March to September at 2.30pm.
• The Ormond Relic of the True Cross and another authenticated relic are on display in the north transept.
• Marvel at the beauty of the Sedilia and the Waking Bier. They are the highpoint of Cistercian art in stone in Ireland.
• Be enchanted by the folk stories of ‘The Good Woman’s Son’ and ‘The Eight Hands”.
• The chancel and the north transept have the finest rib vaulting of the period.
• An old bell, called Michael, hangs in the tower and is reputedly the oldest church bell in Ireland. It is almost 800 years old.
• Here too is the only intact medieval chapter house doorway in Ireland.
• We invite you to imagine the monks descending the original night stairs as they did centuries ago.
• The Abbey has the widest range of window patterns of any medieval building in Ireland.
• You might like to share a secret at the Whispering Arch.
• The arcading of the cloister is beautifully executed.
• The magnificent outdoor Stations of the Cross are the work of Enrico Manfrini, who also designed Pope Francis’ ring.
• There is plenty more here in stone, folklore, legend and history.