Graiguenamanagh (the outfarm of the monks) soon comes into view, with its graceful 18th century bridge and medieval Abbey Church. Far above the town, Brandon Hill beckons, and then the Nore Valley at Inistioge, an ancient place with a fine bridge and medieval church. The final section to Carrick-on-Suir crosses wide, lonely uplands, with horizons stretching to Waterford and Tipperary

Duiske Abbey, now the Catholic parish church, but once the church of a 13th century Cistercian monastery, founded in 1204, the remains of which have been incorporated into the building. The name derives from the Gaelic for Black Water – dubh uisce – a river that joins the Barrow a little downstream of the abbey.
Duiske Abbey, the largest of Irish Cistercian monastery churches and whose buildings encompassed much of the town, began to fall apart in 1536 when it was suppressed. Although the monks continued to occupy it for many years, it gradually fell into ruin. The last tragedy was in 1744, when the tower collapsed into the nave. However, the debris from the tower was smoothed over to create a new floor and the west end was re-roofed to make a place of worship for the Protestant Church of Ireland. In 1812 the church was returned to the Catholic community and the long work of restoration began – to be completed finally in the 1980’s.
Its unprepossessing exterior contrasts with a splendid vista once the door is opened. The long nave, with its ancient stone and high clerestory windows, conveys the simplicity and serenity the monks knew. As a link with the past, an effigy of a 13th century knight found in the ruins was installed by the main entrance. He is unidentified but known locally as the “Crusader”– but he makes a suitable guardian. Descend some steps from the south transept – to the original pre-1744 floor level – to see the magnificent Transitional (between Romanesque and Gothic) processional door of about 1220, used by the monks on ceremonial occasions and still there after seven centuries. The Aughtiltan and Ballyogen Crosses, dating from the 08th and 09th centuries, are to be seen in the churchyard. Examples of the early mediaeval floor tiles can be seen in the original floor to the right of the main entrance.

Graiguenamanagh (pronounced Graig-na-Manna) means "the Vale or Valley of the monks". The monks in question, Cistercian, arrived here in 1204 and built the longest Cistercian Church in Ireland - 212ft. An 18th century, seven-arched bridge, built by George Semple crosses the River Barrow with the splendid Brandon Hill as an imposing backdrop. White water rushes over a weir and the towpath is merry with wild flowers.This is a popular boating centre and a base for the pleasure barges on the river Barrow. The river is navigable south to St. Mullins where it joins the tidal waters linking with the Nore River and Inistioge, and leading to New Ross and the open sea. Northwards it links with the Grand Canal at Lowtown.Graiguenamanagh is also a popular angling centre