Ballyhoura (Limerick) County Limerick
Glenstal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery of the Congregation of the Annunciation located in Murroe, County Limerick. It is dedicated to Saint Joseph and Saint Columba. The abbey is located in and beside Glenstal Castle, a Normanesque castle built by the Barrington family.
The picturesque grounds include lakes, forests and an old walled, terraced garden which features a bible garden.
The monastery runs an all-boys boarding secondary school on its grounds, Glenstal Abbey School, home to approximately two hundred students. Visitors can explore the magnificent grounds, visit the gift shop, and be taken on a tour of the fascinating icon chapel which houses a collection of Russian and Greek Orthodox icons.
Day Groups
The monks of Glenstal Abbey welcome groups who wish to visit the monastery and spend some time getting to know the place, their tradition and their life.
Typically, groups arrive in time for the community mass with Gregorian Chant in Latin which is celebrated each weekday at 12.10pm, and on Sundays at 10.00am. This is followed either by lunch or tea/coffee and scones.
Day Visitors
Visitors who are not part of an organised group can walk the Front and Back avenues at their leisure. The grounds are a wildlife sanctuary and are home to a wide variety of beautiful specimen trees and flowers. Part of the remains of Ireland’s primitive oak forest lies along the edge of the Front Avenue. Please note that the school buildings and playing fields are not normally open to the public.
Visitors are also welcome to visit the Abbey Gift Shop which has a large selection of religious goods and books, recordings by the Monks of Glenstal and the famous Glenstal Abbey Liqueur Truffles. Open daily from 9.00am until 5.00pm.
Guesthouse
The monks welcome guests who wish to stay to enjoy some quiet time and attend the liturgies in the Abbey Church, which take place several times a day. The majority of guests who visit the Abbey do so to make a private retreat which provides time for rest, reading, reflection and prayer.
Times of Services in the Abbey Church.
