Beyond Limerick City, the quiet parish of Mungret offers a peaceful diversion. A monastery and a renowned monastic school once stood here with six churches and 1500 monks. Today, many ruins remain. They include the ivy-clad St Nessan’s church, which was almost certainly built before 1100, and the Abbey ruin, large blocks of which can still be seen. They include the chancel, the nave and a tower. The buildings were stabilized and repaired in 1932.