Composition of the monastery Knockmoy Abbey's composition is largely typical of
Cistercian monasteries. As a result, though there are no physical indications of whether or not the monastery had a tower, it is highly likely that the monastery had a low tower, a common feature of Cistercian friaries. Knockmoy is
claustral in layout, though the cloister is now in use as a burial ground. The monastery's
church consists of a
nave, two
aisles, and a
transept to the north and south, respectively. In each transept there are two
side chapels. The nave is notably wide, and the transepts narrow. The
laybrothers of the abbey would worship in the nave, while the monks would worship in the
chancel. On the southwest corner of the church is a sculpture of a king, possibly Ua Conchobair. Though the nose and chin have broken away, the eyes, hair, and crown survive. The chancel ceiling is
rib vaulted. The ceiling of the
sacristy is also
vaulted, and
dormitories were located above both the chancel and sacristy. Projecting eastward, and with a door on the first floor connecting to the dormitories was the
garderobe. The walls of this building are not bonded with the rest of the monastery, and it is likely of fourteenth century construction. The
chapter room is also vaulted, and features a three-light window as well as two single-light windows. The three-light window is original, and features elaborately moulded
jambs—the two single-light windows are of later construction, and feature rubble-work jambs.
Cross-walls were added to the chapter room, blocking two of the three lights in the three-light window. It is possible that the two smaller windows were added at this point. The cross-walls divide the chapter room into three sections. South of the chapter room was the
calefactory, or the day room of the monks. Here a fire would have been kept for the monks to warm themselves by. A section at the south end of the church formed the
refectory. In the eastern end of the refectories south wall is an opening wide, which would have featured steps leading up to a
rostrum. Next to the refectory, to the south east, is a section of the monastery the function of which is difficult to ascertain. The walls here are in very poor condition, and having been reshaped several times to serve as a fence, give no indication as to the original placement of the windows. This may possibly have been the novices' rooms. To the west of the cloister were buildings two storeys tall, which housed the lay brothers of the monastery. The lay brothers had a separate entrance to the church than the monks. Close by the abbey is a modern mill, supposedly built on the site of a mill once belonging to the abbey.
Wall-paintings in the middle, from the fresco painting in Knockmoy,
Dublin Penny Journal, 1833 's son, from the fresco painting, sketched in 1833 The abbey is well known for its wall-paintings which once covered the entire north wall of the chancel of the abbey's church, though they are now partially destroyed. Though commonly referred to as
frescoes, this is incorrect—they are in fact
tempera, and there are no examples of true frescoes in any medieval churches in Ireland. The tempera at Knockmoy constitute one of a group of only four such artworks in Ireland. It is unclear whether or not they were once coloured. Long exposed to the elements, in the 1980s the
Office of Public Works weather-proofed the segment of the abbey which houses them. == References ==