{"id":1867,"date":"2017-02-20T11:42:07","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T11:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/?page_id=1867"},"modified":"2026-07-16T10:20:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T10:20:11","slug":"tours-of-abbey","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/tours-of-abbey\/","title":{"rendered":"Tours of Holycross Abbey"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"gs\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<div id=\":1f0\" class=\"ii gt\">\n<div id=\":1ez\" class=\"a3s aXjCH\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"gridcell\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<h5>Open Tours of Holycross Abbey take place on Sundays from <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>March to September<\/strong> at 2.30pm<\/span>. You can come along to the cloister area and join this tour at 2.30pm without pre-booking.<\/h5>\n<h5><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Alternatively, we can arrange tours at other dates and times throughout the year, but only when pre-booked. <span class=\"text_exposed_show\">&nbsp;Bookings can be made by visiting https:\/\/holycrossabbey.ie\/visit-holycross-abbey\/holycross-abbey-tours\/#book-tour&nbsp; contacting 086-1665869, 0504-43124 or by emailing holycrossabbeytours@gmail.com. Please book at least 48 hours in advance to ensure availability.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Holycross Abbey is open for private visit and prayer from 9am to 6pm daily.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<p><b>For information or to book a group tour at any time throughout the year please phone 086-1665869 or 0504-43124 (office hours). Email: <\/b><a href=\"mailto:holycrossabbeytours@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>holycrossabbeytours@<wbr>gmail.com<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Website:&nbsp;<\/b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossabbey.ie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.holycrossabbey.ie&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1539332802130000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGhZJTUw7Km7mYxxJMH9NvkjwcPsQ\"><b>www.holycrossabbey.ie<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Because the Abbey is our parish church tour times will be rescheduled to adapt to any religious events taking place in the Abbey. We accept donations of \u20ac5 per person (2026 rate).<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><em><strong>Highlights of a Visit to Holycross Abbey<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/East-elevation-of-Holycross-Abbey-tours.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[1867]\" title=\"Tours of Holycross Abbey\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2055\" src=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/East-elevation-of-Holycross-Abbey-tours-300x190.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"190\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/East-elevation-of-Holycross-Abbey-tours-300x190.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/East-elevation-of-Holycross-Abbey-tours.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>The restored Holycross Abbey is unique. It has a great mix of features that blend well together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>It has the widest range of window patterns and tracery of any medieval building. No two windows are the same.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The Sedilia and Waking Bier draw superlatives from the experts. Roger Stalley in his book on the Cistercians describes them as \u201c.. the finest piece of church furnishing in medieval Ireland\u201d. They are the highpoint in Cistercian art in stone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The Relic of the Cross was probably displayed in the waking bier. It drew pilgrims from far and wide since the foundation in 1182 AD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Holycross-abbey-tours.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[1867]\" title=\"Tours of Holycross Abbey\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2057\" src=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Holycross-abbey-tours-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Holycross-abbey-tours-300x214.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Holycross-abbey-tours.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>The sanctuary and the north transept have the finest ribbing of the period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>A 750 years old bell, called Michael, is reputedly the oldest church bell in Ireland and hangs in the belfry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>It has the only surviving medieval chapter house doorway in Ireland.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>There is also a whispering arch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The arcading of the cloister is beautifully executed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>There is plenty more here in stone, folklore, legend and history.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Failte go Mainister na Croise Naofa<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossabbey.ie\/holycross-abbey\/tours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here for more on tours&gt;&gt;<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[1867]\" title=\"Tours of Holycross Abbey\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-7529\" src=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"317\" height=\"449\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026-212x300.jpg 212w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026-724x1024.jpg 724w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026-768x1086.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Poster-Flyer-2026.jpg 1414w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><script><br \/>\n    (function(d, s, id) {<br \/>\n        var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];<br \/>\n        if (d.getElementById(id)) return;<br \/>\n        js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;<br \/>\n        js.src = \"\/\/www.shalomworldtv.org\/media-gallery\/parish-mission.min.js#appID=1518088162&elementID=pm_mg-trigger\";<br \/>\n        fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);<br \/>\n    }(document, 'script', 'pmission-media_gallery'));<br \/>\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Open Tours of Holycross Abbey take place on Sundays from March to September at 2.30pm. You can come along to the cloister area and join this tour at 2.30pm without pre-booking. Alternatively, we can arrange tours at other dates and&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1867"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1867"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7531,"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1867\/revisions\/7531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.holycrossballycahill.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}