St Mary's Abbey, Howth
My mother-in-law is staying at the moment (which was why I took the boys to Lyon a week ago while she & Heather went around southern Ireland for a week for some quality time together) so this afternoon we took her to Howth to visit the amazing "Howth Museum of Vintage Radio". The museum is nearly overflowing the old Martello Tower on the promontory above the harbour and on the way back down from the museum I found an excellent vantage for a photograph of the ruined abbey.
The Martello Tower itself is not as photogenic as the old ruined abbey, though it does have some good views out over Howth harbour from the surrounding grounds. If you are in the area though then "why not both"? The €5 entry fee is well worth while, and after a great night out on Friday with the +Axonista team celebrating some recent software releases, a quiet afternoon looking at vintage radios was just what the doctor ordered!
The first abbey on the site was founded in 1235, replacing an earlier church dating from 1042, although apparently this ruin is from a later rebuilt abbey which dates back to the 14th century.