Red Abbey
- Red Abbey occupied an area now bounded by Dunbar Street, Margaret Street, Mary Street and Douglas Street.
Invited to the city by the Anglo-Normans, the Augustinians established an abbey here sometime between 1270 and 1288.
The central bell tower at the church of Red Abbey is one of the last remaining structures dating to the era of the walled town of Cork.
It became known as Red Abbey because of the sandstone used in its construction.
It was originally dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity
Sometime between 1687 and 1690, Ignatius Gould, merchant and property owner, bought a section of the Red Abbey from the friars, while the rest of the complex was given to Othowell Hayes of Ballinlough in the southern suburbs of Cork.
The monks vacated the abbey at this point.
In 1690 Red Abbey was used as a base by the English to fire canon balls into the city during the Siege of Cork.
On 20th November 1780 the foundation stone of a new Augustinian priory was laid on the corner of Washington Street and the Grand Parade. It was replaced by the present Church during the Second World War. This church is still used by the Augustinian order.
In the mid-eighteenth century, some of the buildings at Red Abbey were used as part of a sugar refinery. The refinery burnt down accidentally in December 1799.Following the fire, the friary buildings, with the exception of the tower, were taken down piecemeal.
The tower is maintained by Cork City Council, to which the structure was donated in 1951 by the contemporary owners.
Two water fonts unearthed in 1948 in the Red Abbey are on display in the Augustinian Church Porch
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