Holycross Abbey

Cistercian abbey at Holycross, County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. It dates from the late 12th century but was almost entirely rebuilt in the 15th century; only the west wall and some smaller portions of the original church survive. It is particularly noted for its fine stone carving and a rare example of a late medieval fresco. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, Holycross was made into a secular college. It was granted to Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, in 1563, and remained an abbey until the 17th century. The church was reconsecrated in 1975, after being restored for the archbishop of Cashel and Emly by local craftsmen with the assistance of Percy Le Clerc.