St. Nicholas, Adare, is in many respects the anchor church of the group of parishes. It shares a rich history with the village of Adare, a small and attractive village just southwest of the City of Limerick. The history and ongoing life of the church and the village are intertwined. 

The building was originally built in 1315 as an Augustinian Abbey. It is also called the "Black Abbey" because the Augustinian monks of the time wore black habits. Put into ruin in the mid-1500s, the church was restored in the 19th century as a worship place for the Church of Ireland, through the generosity of the Earl of Dunraven. 

St. Nicholas is also the home of St. Nicholas National School, a primary school that in 2014 celebrated its 200th anniversary. The school is coeduational and under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, but welcomes children of all faiths. 

St. Nicholas celebrated its 700th anniversary in 2015. The main event was a Festival of Faith and Flowers on the weekend of 22nd–24th May. Check the Festival page HERE.  

The photo above is of the cloisters at St. Nicholas, taken by John Holmes of the Limerick Camera Club. 

Worship Times:

Sundays: 11:30 am

Check out these panoramas

While one of our tour guides at St. Nicholas was in the church, a photographer came in to take pictures. This photographer, named Alex Miednik, takes panorama shots. He took two of St. Nicholas: one of the chancel and choir (the upper part), and the other of the nave (the lower part). Follow the links below to see his great photography! (To see the 360º view, click on the curved arrows in the circle on the right-hand side.)

• Nave

• Choir & Chancel

St. Nicholas Audio Guide

An Audio Guide to St. Nicholas Church is available. It begins at the entrance to the church grounds at the outside gate and lasts about 30 minutes. It explains the history of the church and some of the most important features. Go HERE to access the Guide. 

See St. Nicholas on TV

Television coverage of the 700th anniversary celebration of St. Nicholas appeared on national television, on Nationwide, and on Limerick County Matters (beginning 5 min 39 sec into the program). 

History of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas Church is in a building that was originally one of three monasteries in Adare, dating from the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. Read more

Tours of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas is open for self-tours every day of the Week, usually from 10am to sun-down.

Guided tours of St. Nicholas are available by appointment, rather than being offered on a regular schedule. 

To arrange a tour, email HERE. Please indicate how many people are in the group and what language they speak. The tour is conducted in English. 

The suggested donation is €5.00 per person, or free with the purchase of the book Adare: The Augustinian Friary & St. Nicholas Church (€20), by Barbara Bingham. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the church.