History Of Terryglass

Terryglass is a village situated in County Tipperary in Ireland, in the area of the county known as North Tipperary. It is located on the R493 regional road on the North-eastern shore of Lough Derg near where the River Shannon enters the Lough. Terryglass won the Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1983 and 1997 and is steeped in Irish history.

In the early Middle Ages, the place was known as Tír dá glass. A monastery (abbey) was founded there by Colum mac Crimthainn (also called Colum moccu Loigse), a friend of St Columba, in 549 A.D. It became a center of learning and produced, about 1160, the Book of Leinster, which is now housed in Trinity College Dublin. The Book is an important collection of history, tales and poems written in Middle Irish, and is believed to be the work of Áed Ua Crimthainn, a 12th century abbot of Terryglass. The Vikings frequently raided the abbey, and in 1164 the abbey was burnt. A remaining wall from this abbey can be seen at the back of Paddy's pub in the village.

Terryglass has two historic wells, the Eye Well and the Headache Well, both of which are said to have curative properties.