Summary
Quin Abbey, found just five miles outside Ennis, was built in the 15th
Century in the tradition of Irish Franciscan Monasteries. It is built
on the ruins of a Norman castle fortress that stood there in the late 13th
Century. Building on the abbey itself began in 1402 and was finished
in 1433. It has served as the home of many friars over the years,
but it has also served as a place of great conflict. Its location
on the main route from Limerick to Galway made it a target for the Normans,
the English, and many other groups over the years. No one has lived
in the abbey since 1820, but still serves as a testament to the architecture
and design of the early 15th Century.