The Ruines of Quin-Abby

Artist(s): Thomas Dineley (Draughtsman)

View of the ruins of Quin Abbey, Co. Clare. In the centre of the image, an ornate transept window faces the viewer. A steeple on the right rises high above the roofless building. Several of the gable ends are surmounted by crosses. The image is partially enclosed in an oval frame, with the external walls on either side of the building protruding beyond the border. The whole is surrounded by a rectangular frame.

Inscribed in Image

  • Caption outside of boundaries of image – The Ruines of QUIN-ABBY lately harbouring some Friers of the Order of S<sup>t</sup> Francis

Image Details

Genre Landscape
Technique Pen and ink drawings
Subject(s) Antiquities and archaeological sites, Architecture
Geographical Location
  • Clare – County
  • Munster – Province
  • Quin Abbey – Named locality
Keyword(s) Archaeological sites, Birds, Buildings, Churches, Crosses, Ruins, Steeples, Windows
Colour Monochrome
Dimensions 8.9 cm x 8.2 cm
Published / created 1681

Bibliographical Details

Travel Account Observations in a Voyage through the Kingdom of Ireland
Contributor(s)
Print or manuscript Manuscript
Location of image in copy p. 185
Source copy National Library of Ireland MS 392
Permalink https://ttce.universityofgalway.ie/irelandillustrated/view/image/ii_image_1374925295
Rights Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Related text from travel account

QUIN-TOWN Is twelve miles from Limerick six from six mile bridge 4 from Rallahine Castle in the road to Galloway. It hath nothing worth the note of a Traveller but the ruines of an Abbey which I sketcht off on the other leafe.
Here are two faires a year, which In times past were famous for quarelling of two families of numerous ofspring hereabouts viz the Malouny’s and Macnamarra”s in which 8 persons Ulster men were kill’d and buried in one hole.
It is storied also that at the drinling of a small barrell of Sack that the Ulster men being absent often, and thought to go out to leake between every other glass. It seems they went out to drink Usque bath Aqua vita so call’d, y<sup>ey</sup> sayd to warme their Stomachs which they thought would be over cooled with the Sack. so accustomed they are to extraordinary hott liquors more than any people I ever heard of.
The faires of Quin are of <u>black cattle</u>, as Cows Oxen &c. which are so called here
The Abbey was anciently of the Order of S<sup>t</sup> Francis here are seen the ancient Vaults & Burial places of the Mac Namarra’s & the Molouny’s. and hither they are brought if they dye in the Kingdome to be interr’d with their Ancestors. [p. 184]
Back to top