Abbeylara, in Irish Mainistir Leathrátha, which means Abbey of the half rath or little rath (rath meaning a small ring fort), is the name of the small town approximately eighteen miles from Longford town, which takes the name from a Cistercian monastery founded on the site that legend states that St. Patrick found circa 460 AD. |
IrelandThe Emerald Isle |
The abbey was founded in 1150 by the O'Ferrall of Annally and the last abbot, Richard O'Farrell (the O'Farrell family being the ruling family of County Longford and this abbey became the burial place of the family) surrendered the abbey and five thousand acres to Henry VIII with the decree of the dissolution of the monasteries. |