In 1139 the centre of Dublin saw the
foundation, by the Benedictines, of a great Cistercian Abbey, 'Capel
Abbey'.
Located at the street
still known as Mary’s
Abbey it became one of the largest and most important
medieval monasteries in Ireland.
Dissolved by Henry V111
in 1530
it slowly fell into ruins and its stones were eventually
used in the building of Essex Bridge.
Together with the local
street names, our name preserves the memory of this great
institution. Capel comes from
the Latin capella meaning chapel. Our building
fronts onto one of Dublin’s oldest streets “Mary’s Abbey”,
hence the ‘Abbey in our name.
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