The Cistercian Abbeys of Tipperary PRICE: IRP£ 14.95 pbk PUBLISHER: Four Courts Press ‘99

In the period 1142-1272, 37 Cistercian monasteriess were founded in Ireland. Of these, four were situated in Tipperary. Inislaught, near Clonmel was founded in 1147-8; Holycross, near Thurles in 1180; Kilcooley, near Urlingford in 1184; and Hoare Abbey, near Cashel, in 1272. Using new research available since the author' original published papers, the book deals with the history of each of the four abbeys from foundation to dissolution. In the case of Holycross, the story is continued right up to the death of the last monk. A list of abbots and lands of the abbeys has also been appended. A useful addition to the original studies is a series of notes on architectural observations of such notatble scholars as John O' Donovan and Professor Roger Stalley, the foremost authority on Irish Cistercian architecture.