US University announces plans to open campus in nearly 200-year-old abbey near Tipperary
Mount Melleray Abbey was founded in 1833 and closed its doors in January of 2025.
A Catholic University in the United States has reportedly stated it will soon open up a campus in a nearly 200-year-old abbey next to Tipperary.
Mount Melleray Abbey is situated on the Knockmealdown Mountain slopes near Cappoquin, County Waterford and was founded in 1833.
The abbey closed its doors in January of 2025 due to its aging community and a decline in new members joining the vocation.
Mount Melleray Abbey’s Cistercian community confirmed the news last week, following discussions with Ave Maria University regarding a proposed educational initiative at the abbey.
In a video posted on the University's YouTube page earlier in the week, Ave Maria claimed it was planning to open a new campus for students at the former Cistercian monastery of Mount Melleray near Cappoquin.
The video was then turned to private after the news broke.
The private university was founded by Thomas Monaghan, who founded Domino's Pizza before selling the company in 1998.
In a statement, the abbey emphasized its commitment to ensuring that any future development fully respects its spiritual character, the life of prayer, and the surrounding local community.
"Further information will be shared in due course once the remaining processes are complete,” the statement read.
The Department of Further and Higher Education and the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore have both been contacted for further comment on the proposal.