Red Abbey, Cork

The Red Abbey in Cork is a medieval structure that was constructed using reddish sandstone. It was founded in the late 13th or early 14th century by a member of the De Courcey family and was named after the distinctive color of the sandstone used in its construction. The Red Abbey was an Augustinian abbey that was occupied by the friars until the 17th century, even though it was dissolved in 1541.

During the Siege of Cork in 1690, the Red Abbey's central bell tower was used by John Churchill as a vantage point and battery to suppress an uprising in the city associated with the expelled Catholic King of England, James II. The abbey remained standing throughout the 18th century when the Augustinian friars established a new friary in Fishamble Lane, and the Red Abbey was turned over for use as a sugar refinery. However, in 1799, a fire destroyed much of the abbey's structure.

The remains of the Red Abbey were excavated in 1977, revealing fragmented human bones, pottery dating from medieval times to the 19th century, and approximately 300 pieces of lead shot. Today, the only part of the Red Abbey that remains standing is the central bell tower of the abbey's church. This tower is now a designated national monument and is maintained by Cork City Council.