Editing Monasterboice

{{Short description|6th century monastery in County Louth, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Irish English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox monastery
| name           = Monasterboice
| native_name    = {{Native name|ga|Mainistir Bhuithe|paren=omit}}
| image          = A high cross and round tower at Monasterboice, Ireland.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Round tower, high cross, church and gravestones at Monasterboice
| full           = 
| other_names    = 
| order          = 
| established    = 5th century
| disestablished = 1097
| mother         = 
| dedication     = 
| diocese        = 
| churches       = 
| founder        = Saint Buithe (Saint Buithe mac Bronach)
| abbot          = <!-- or | abbess = -->
| prior          = 
| archbishop     = 
| bishop         = 
| archdeacon     = 
| people         = 
| status         = 
| functional_status = 
| heritage_designation = 
| designated_date = 
| architect      = 
| style          = 
| groundbreaking = 
| completed_date = 
| construction_cost = 
| location       = County Louth, Ireland
| map_type       = Ireland
| coordinates    = {{coord|53|46|39.53|N|6|25|02.43|W|region:IE-LH_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title,inline}}
| oscoor         = 
| remains        = 
| public_access  = yes
| website        = 
| embedded = {{Infobox designation list
| embed                =yes 
| designation1 = Irish National Monument
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date =
| designation1_number = 94<ref name="List"/>}}
}}

The '''Monasterboice''' ({{langx|ga|Mainistir Bhuithe}}) ruins are the remains of an early Christian monastic settlement in [[County Louth]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], north of [[Drogheda]]. The ruins are a [[National monument (Ireland)|national monument of Ireland]] and also give their name to the local village and to a [[Civil parishes in Ireland|civil parish]] of the same name.<ref name=logainm>[http://www.logainm.ie/34018.aspx Placenames Database of Ireland] (see archival records)</ref>

==Name==
The name Monasterboice is a part-anglicisation of the Irish name {{lang|ga|Mainistir Bhuithe}} meaning "monastery of Buithe". It was formerly anglicised as ''Monasterboye'' and ''Monasterboyse''. Boice is the English version of the [[Latin]] name Boecius, which was adopted as the equivalent of the Irish Buithe.<ref name=logainm/>

==History==
The monastic settlement was founded in the late 5th century by Saint [[Buíte of Monasterboice|Buithe]] (or Buite) who died around 521.<ref name="Sign">Bord Failte sign</ref>

Poet and historian [[Flann Mainistrech]], Flann of Monasterboice, was [[lector]] here.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Poems by Flann Mainistrech on the Dynasties of Ailech, Mide and Brega |journal=Archivium Hibernicum |date=1913 |volume=2 |jstor=25529575 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25529575 |access-date=20 Feb 2022 |last1=Mainistrech |first1=Flann |last2=MacNeil |first2=John |pages=37–99 |doi=10.2307/25529575 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Little is known about the monastery except for a list of abbots (759-1122). It fell into ruin after the establishment of the Cistercian [[Mellifont Abbey]] nearby in 1142.<ref name="Sign"/>

A parochial church was in use at the location by the 13th century.<ref name="Sign"/>

==Description==
The site includes the remains of two churches built in the 14th century or later and an earlier [[Irish round tower|round tower]], but it is most famous for its [[high cross]]es. The round tower is about 28 metres tall, and is in very good condition. It was likely built shortly after 968 and damaged in a fire in 1098.<ref name="Sign"/> The three high crosses date from the 10th century and form part of the scriptural group (showing biblical scenes).<ref name="Sign"/>

The 5.5-metre [[Muiredach's High Cross]] is regarded as the finest high cross in the whole of Ireland. It is named after an abbot, Muiredach mac Domhnaill, who died in 923 and features [[sculpture|biblical carvings]] of both the [[Old Testament|Old]] (Adam and Eve) and [[New Testament]]s (the Adoration of the Magi) of the [[Bible]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |page=306|isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}}</ref> The North and West crosses are also notable examples of this kind of structure, but these have suffered much more from the effects of the weather. A copy of the main cross is held in the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] in London.

==Today==
The property is owned by the National Monuments Service and is accessible to the public.<ref name="List">{{cite web|url=https://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/pdf/monuments-in-state-care-louth.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405185644/http://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/pdf/monuments-in-state-care-louth.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-05 |url-status=live|title=National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship, Louth|date=4 March 2009|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref>

Burials in the graveyard around the ruins continue in the present day.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Monasterboice North Church and West Cross West Face 2013 09 27.jpg|North church and West Cross
Monasterboice-16-Westkreuz teils-1993-gje.jpg|West Cross
Monasterboice-22-Ostkreuz teils-1989-gje.jpg|East Cross
Monasterboice - North Cross - head west.jpg|North Cross, close-up
Monasterboice-10-Muiredachkreuz Westseite-1993-gje.jpg|Muiredach's Cross
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110225100925/http://www.louthheritage.ie/publications_6_3800060012.pdf Monasterboice Conservation Study] PDF 8.8MB

{{high cross}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ruined abbeys and monasteries]]
[[Category:High crosses in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Ruins in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in County Louth]]
[[Category:Religion in County Louth]]
[[Category:Towers in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:National monuments in County Louth]]
[[Category:Civil parishes of County Louth]]