Muckross Abbey is both an Old Irish Monastery & Modern Irish Graveyard. It is situated in the middle of the national park and a five-minute walk from Muckross House car park. It dates back to the beginnings of Christianity in Ireland. The first monastery was reputed to have been built here by Saint Fionan sometime in the 6th century.
What you see today are the ruins of a Franciscan friary which was founded here in the 15th century and are in a very good state of preservation with the walls of the Cloister and its associated buildings in their original and complete state. The monks of Muckross Abbey were driven out in the 1650s by the infamous Cromwellian forces.
Right next to the abbey is a graveyard which is in a poor state of repair but is still used to this day as an active burial ground. The graveyard is said to hold the remains of the O’Donoghue chieftains amongst many others in its grounds.
Access to Muckross Abbey is free and it is open year-round. A visit is recommended.