Ruined Benedictine monastery in Westmeath, Ireland
Fore Abbey (Irish: Mainistir Fhobhair) is the ruins of a Benedictine and Early Gaelic 7th century Abbey with associated Mill, Anchorite's Cell, Holy Wells and a structure associated with St. Feichin, all situated to the north of Lough Lene in County Westmeath, adjacent to Fore village. Architectural additions, damage by fire and dismantlement have altered the site's appearance and layout over the centuries.
A Benedictine Priory
In the 13th century Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath had built a Benedictine priory in the valley near the Gaelic Monastery. Many of the buildings that remain today (in ruins) are from the 13th and 15th century and have been restored throughout the 20th century, making Fore Abbey and environs one of the largest group of Benedictine ruins and ecclesiastical landscape to have sojourned and remained in Ireland. This priory was dedicated to both St Féichín and St Taurin, of Évreux, founder of the parent monastery in France. As a cell of a foreign or 'alien' house in the 13th century, the English Crown held the lands and manor owned by the when the English and French were at war with each other.
- Its 13th century church still has some painted plaster decorations in the church and graceful arcaded cloister.
- Attached to the church are the broken walls of two towers, where the monks once lived, and the de Lacy vassal Richard de Tuite held an apartment[4]
- In spite of assertions to holding huge numbers of monks and students, Medieval Fore Priory never had any more than a handful of monks under a prior, who were most likely drawn from the Anglo-Norman aristocracy, if not 'French' in origin.
Conclusion
Another important aspect of Fore is the Fore Crosses one of which is in the village of Fore. There are 18 crosses; some crosses are plain (most likely due to wind and rain erosion) whilst others still remain carved. These are spread out over 7 miles on roadways. The lands associated with the abbey in the middle ages were extensive taking in many of the townlands/parishes around Castlepollard.
