friaries ireland

Remains of Franciscan friary founded in 1485 by Rory MacQuillan. Many interesting features including a burial vault containing the remains of the celebrated MacDonnell chieftain, Sorley Boy, as well as several Earls of Antrim. East range of cloister, gatehouse and church virtually complete except for roof. Free access always. On A2 1/2 mile east of Ballycastle....

Straide Friary was founded under the patronage of Jordan de Exeter around 1240 for the Franciscans, but at the insistence of his daughter-in-law, Basilia Birmingham, it was transferred to the Dominicans in 1252. The surviving church has a thirteenth century chancel with six small lancet windows, but the rest of the building dates from a fifteenth-century restoration. Its two treasures date from the restoration: a high altar with elegant decorations including a Pieta flanked by donors and a del...

William O'Kelly, Lord of Hy Many, founded this new friary for the Franciscans in 1353 on the site of an older monastery founded by St. Conall in the sixth century. The buildings consist of a church with nave, choir, south transept and aisle, and some domestic buildings.

The nave is entered by a finely moulded west doorway with a 15th century date. The north wall of the church has two fine tomb niches. That near the west door has well carved figures of Saints Johanes (John), Lodovic (...

This is an attractive old world village, a National Tidy Town winner, set at the entrance to Multyfarnham Friary. The Fransciscans have a long association with this place, having set up a monastery there in the early 14th century. Despite the dissolution of the monasteries in 1535 and havig been evicted a number of times, they always returned and now run a modern agricultural college.

The church, recently restored in the traditional Franciscan style, incorporates original sections d...

The Ennis Friary, is a Franciscan Friary founded by the O'Briens Kings of Thomond, in the 13th century. The site was originally on an island in the River Fergus aroudn which the modern town of Ennis has grown. Its monuments are famous, notably the McMahon tomb (15th century) with carvings of the Passion of Our Lord....

The Abbey of St. Francis was built in 1269 and has been rebuilt on several occasions since, the last reconstruction being completed about 1884. The oldest part of the building is the tower which dates from the 14th century. The most significant recent addition was the shrine of St. Anthony, which opened in 1959 and the stained glass windows which were put in 1960....

Founded possibly by the Mac Carthy Reagh, Lord of Carbery, in 1240 or by William de Barry during the reign of Edward 111 for the Friars of the Strict Observance of St. Francis. The buildings date from various periods. The original church was much shorter than the present one, extending only as far westwards as the third arch from the tower. The church was probably lengthened when the tower was added by Edmund de Courcy, Bishop of Ross, who died in 1518. There is an aisle and a transept with...

Founded by the Vikings in the 9th century, the town was granted to the Fitzgeralds in Norman times, though the Byrnes held sway there for a considerable time up to 1542, and burned the town in 1580. Romanesque Doorway: In the 18th century Church of Ireland church of St. Thomas, a fine Romanesque doorway of mid 12th century date has been inserted in the porch, though some of its stones have been wrongly re-set. It comes from a medieval church which was dedicated to St. Thomas, and some of it...

The Franciscans have had a long association with Wexford, reaching back to the founding of the Friary in 1230. They endured two major interruptions to their tenure, the first in the 16th century, at the dissolution of the monasteries. Returning in 1622 they restored the friary only to have it destroyed by Cromwell 27 years later. The present building is largely 18th century when extensive renovation work took place. Two of the walls, however date from pre-Cromwellian times. The church is bea...

Callan Friary The village of Callan is associated with religion as Edmund Rice was born in this village. Rice was the founder of the religious order, known as the Christian Brothers,which were begun at the end of the 18th century. The Christian Brothers are credited with educating the less wealthy people of Ireland. The cottage is located at Westcourt, just outside the village and is marked by a plaque. The Friary was founded for the Augustinians in 1462, by Eamonn Butler of Portrathbut it wa...