County: Tipperary Site name: CAHIR ABBEY, Cahir Abbey Lower
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 94E0124
Author: Dave Pollock
Site type: Religious house - Augustinian canons
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 604861m, N 625007m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.376598, -7.928607
During August and September 1994 most of the east range and part of the south range of the priory were excavated. A dearth of medieval finds hampered dating, but a clear relative chronology tied into the sequence of church construction and reconstruction.
The chapter house was identified by its unusual shape and by several burials below its floor. The room originally extended an unknown distance beyond the east range but was later shortened to present a continuous east wall. The original chapter house was not vaulted.
An early stair was identified immediately north of the chapter house, giving access from the cloister to the first floor. A second stair was built in the late 15th/16th century alongside a barrel vault in the (former) chapter house. Most of the east range was barrel vaulted at this stage, simultaneous with a major reconstruction of the church (new tower, north wall, east window).
An early drain was exposed at the south end of the range, probably part of a first floor latrine. When the first floor was converted to private apartments in the later 16th century a garderobe tower replaced the latrine.
In the south range the base of an intramural stair was identified below a fallen arch. The stair would have led to a pulpit in the wall of the frater; the arch would have been a relieving structure over the narrowed wall.
Rathduff, Fethard, Co. Tipperary
