Nearly 200-year-old abbey on Tipperary border may reopen following closure

An abbey on the Tipperary boarder may reopen after being closed since January 2025, it was revealed today. 

Mount Melleray Abbey’s Cistercian community has today confirmed the news, following discussions with Ave Maria University regarding a proposed educational and formation initiative at the abbey, which they say have reached an advanced stage.

The proposal has already received approval from the University’s Board, the group shared on their Facebook Page today.

While the discussions are progressing, several formal steps remain before any final decisions are made and no official public announcement has yet been issued, the group have stated.

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Mount Melleray Abbey was founded in 1833 and closed its doors in January of 2025.

In a statement, the abbey emphasized its commitment to ensuring that any future development fully respects its spiritual character, the life of prayer, and the surrounding local community.

“Further information will be shared in due course once the remaining processes are complete,” the statement read.

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The proposed initiative could mark a significant step in collaborative efforts between monastic communities and Catholic higher education, though details of the project have not yet been made public.

Independent Councillor Máirín McGrath has welcomed the news, saying: "Mount Melleray is a hugely important religious site for our local area and for the thousands who came there for years as a place of worship until the abbey closed last year.

"It is wonderful to see new connections being built that will secure its future.

"Hopefully this will bring many positive opportunities not just for the Community in Mellary but for the wider area, all of us over the Hill in Tipp and right across the Knockmealdown region," she concluded.