Creevelea Friary

Creevylea Franciscan Friary overlooks the lovely River Bonet, on the outskirts of Dromahair village. The friary was founded for the Observant Order of Friars by Owen O’Rourke and his wife Margaret O’Brien in 1508, making it the last medieval monastery to be established in Ireland. The friary consists of a church, cloister and a number of domestic buildings. The church has a nave, chancel, tower and south transept. The cloister is relatively intact and on one of the pillars is a carving of St. Francis. On the eastern side of the cloister there are three rooms including a sacristy. In the north wing there is a refectory and kitchen. The upper floors would have housed the dormitories of the friars. The friary was accidentally burned in 1536 and suppressed five years later. However, it continued in use for several years, but by 1590, Sir Richard Bingham, Governor of Connaught, burned its woodwork and used the buildings for stables. Please note that many of these monuments may be on private land and may not be publicly accessible. When setting out to visit monuments please ensure that you wear appropriate footwear and clothing. Access to monuments without Visitor Services may be across uneven ground which may not be suitable for everyone and, in particular, wheelchair users.