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Carmelite History
15th Century:
Little of note seems to have come to light for this century. It would be reasonable to assume that the friars continued in their charism of prayer, meditating on the law of the Lord and in the service of God's people. To assist the litugical celebrations in the Abbey the Friars had a facsimile of the Kilcormac Missal made in 1460. It is now preserved in Trinity College, Dublin.
16th Century:
Henry VIII th's ' Suppression of Monasteries Act' in 1541 saw the Abbey which consisted of "church, belfry, hall, other houses and a cemetery" suppressed and pillaged while anything of worth was disbursed. In it's aftermath the Abbey was put to many uses. In 1567 the property termed " the house of the Friars of Our Lady of Kinsale" was leased to Robert Meade (merchant) for 21 years and subsequently leased on to other merchants.
The Friars moved to a nearby residence on the junction of the Bandon and Rock roads which became known as 'ye olde masshouse' because Mass was celebrated on the site. To spite the Law people gathered also at the nearby Abbey Well to recite the Rosary and other prayers.The junction was popularly known as the 'Holy Corner' because Mass was celebrated in the residence there.