Founded in 1139, St Mary’s was once Ireland's wealthiest Cistercian Abbey and played a large role in the affairs of state until its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1539. Today it houses an exhibition, and visitors can take a self-guided tour around its two remaining rooms - the Chapter House and the Slype. Deputy Governor of Ireland and 10th Earl of Kildare "Silken" Thomas Fitzgerald - so-called because his horsemen wore silk fringed helmets - started his unsuccessful rebellion in 1534 from the Chapter House – an event mentioned in the "Wandering Rocks" chapter of James Joyce’s Ulysses. The book’s character Ned Lambert describes the Abbey as “the most historic spot in all Dublin” and, as a result, St Mary’s plays a role in the annual June 16 Bloomsday celebrations – check the site for more info.
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