Innisfallen Island Monastery

Innisfallen Island is a beautiful island just 1.5km from Ross Castle in the heart of Killarney National Park. This enchanting island was once home to a monastery dating back to 640 AD. The island was a place of solitude for the monks to reflect and pray. The monks were great scholars, the High King of Ireland Brian Boru was said to have studied on Innsfallen island. Over 300 years, 39 of the Monks wrote what is known now as the Annals of Innisfallen, a history of early Ireland written in Irish and Latin. The Annals of Innisfallen are of major importance for historians. The Annals are currently housed in Oxford, but there is hope that they will soon return to Killarney. 

On the island, you will see ruins of a 12^th century Augustinian Priory as well as a Romanesque Church which are remarkable remains of the early Christian period. This history of Innisfallen island dates to the same time as the monastery on Skellig Michael! Innisfallen Abbey was occupied for more than 900 years and this piece of history is not to be missed!