Situated in the middle of the national park and a five minute walk from Muckross House`s parking, the Franciscan friary of Irrelagh, now known as Muckross Abbey was founded for the Observatine Franciscans about 1448. The friars remained in occupation at Muckross at least intermittently and despite the dissolution of the monasteries until Cromwellian times.

The present well-preserved ruins include a church with a wide, square tower and fine windows, and a vaulted cloister with an arcade of arches around a square courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard grows an ancient yew tree, said traditionally to be as old as the Abbey. It is missing the roof but apart from that the abbey is in a superb state of preservation. There is a south transept adjoining the nave. On the northern side of the Church are the cloisters with the ancient yew tree in the center of the garth. On the north side of the cloister is the refectory. To the south is the abbot`s house and kitchen. On the east side of the cloister is the dormitory. A sacristy abuts the north side of the chancel.

The chancel has three windows in the south wall and a large three mullioned window in the east gable. There is a double piscina with ogee arches, a single sedelia and a tomb recess present in the south wall of the chancel. There are two more tomb recesses present in the north wall. The ambulatories of the cloisters are not covered by the usual lean to but vaulted. The arches of the east and north sides of the cloisters are different to the other sides, suggesting they are not of the same date. There are further dormitories at the first floor level which can be accessed via a spiral staircase. In 1589 the monks were expelled from the abbey by Elizabeth I. The following century it was burned by cromwellian forces.

Muckross Abbey was the burial place of local chieftains, and in the 17th and 18th centuries, the three Gaelic poets, Geoffrey O`Donoghue, Aodhagan O`Rathaille and Eoghan Rua O`Suilleabhain. The graveyard in the grounds surrounding the Abbey is still in use with a number of burials there each year.

Located 2.5 miles from Killarney heading south on the N71. There is a small parking lot on the left. The abbey is about 200 yards down the pathway. Access to Muckross Abbey is free and it is open year round. A visit is recommended.