friaries ireland

Founded in 146 or 1470 by Fineen or Dermot O'Driscoll for the Franciscan Friars of Strict Observance, the church consists of a nave and chancel, as well as a south transept with two chapels. The main doorway is unusual in that it is in the south and not in the west wall. Most of the original windows have disappeared. Although nothing remains of the cloister arcade, the eastern portion of the domestic wing is preserved; it contained the Chapter Room into which a fireplace was later inserted. T...

Some remains of a Franciscan Friary may be seen in the grounds of the parish priest's house. Founded by one of the Fitzgeralds in the thirteenth century, it later came under the patronage of the O'Byrnes. After the dissolution of the monasteries at the time of the Reformation the building became a courthouse later it was used as a store for war equipment. The heritage centre in the modern courthouse provides a genealogical service and has some interesting artefacts relating to the hist...

Overlooking Lough Arrow, this Dominican friary was founded in 1507 and stands today as a complete16th century ruin with no later appendages. There is a headstone in the nave dating from 1717....

Dominican Friary, Portumna

The Friary, was originally a chapel belonging to the Cistercians, an dwas dedicated to St. Peter and Paul. After it was abandoned by them, the O'Madden gave it to the Dominicans, who erected,a church and friary that was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Pope Martin V confirmed their status with a special "Bull" or document in 1426.

To the east are two narrow and pointed windows, that are date from the original 13th century Cistercian Church. But the...

Founded in 1307, by John de Barry for the Carmelite Friars, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The present ruins are, however, probably of 15th century date, consisting of a nave-and-chancel church, and the eastern and western portions of the domestic buildings. There is a fine west doorway in the church with a twin-lighted window above it. The tower which divides the nave and chancel of the church is only partially preserved, though the spiral staircase within its walls is preserved u...

A Carmelite friary founded by MacSwiney, Lord of Fanad, in the 15th century. It consists of a nave-and-chancel church with south transept and some domestic buildings. The friars still seem to have been in occupation as late a 1595 for in that year George Og Bingham raided it and took 24 Mass Vestments, church plate and other things.

It was leased to Captain Ralph Bingley in 1602, when it consisted of one ruinous church, a steeple, a cloister, a hall, three chambers, an orchard and one...

Askeaton Castle: The Castle was founded around the turn of the 13th century, on an island in the River Deel. Part of the 15th century tower on the site remains, itself a replacement of an older tower. Similarly the mid-15th century banqueting hall just inside of the outer wall on the island was built on the foundations of an earlier hall. This hall has finely carved windows and is one of the finest remaining medieval secular buildings, although there was once a chapel attached. After changing...

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...

This Franciscan Friary was founded in 1353 on the site of an older monastery founded by St. Conall in the sixth century. The buildings consists of a church with nave, choir, south transept and aisle, and some domestic buildings.

There are two fine tomb niches in the north wall of the church. Tradition says that the friars were expelled from the monastery only a few weeks before the Battle of Aughrim in 1691....

Of the original church there remain the walls, the west doorway and, in the south wall, two aisle arches (with a figure of St. Francis inserted later between them) and another beside the alter which led to a now no longer existing south transept.

The east window is a modern insertion, but the west window probably dates to a partial reconstruction in the 17th century, when a door to the sacristy was inserted. Parts of the east and west portions of the domestic buildings still stand....