This is a list of the abbeys, priories, friaries and other monastic religious houses in Ireland.

This article provides a gazetteer for the whole of Ireland.

To navigate the listings on this page, use the map or the table of contents. Alternatively, for listings which include the geographical coordinates and online references specific to the listed establishments, or if the entire listing is difficult to navigate, follow the links here (these links are also provided in the headings to each county in the main listing on this page):

Overview

Article layout

The list is presented alphabetically by county. Foundations are listed alphabetically within each county.

Communities/provenance: shows the status and communities existing at each establishment, together with such dates as have been established as well as the fate of the establishment after dissolution, and the current status of the site.

Formal name or dedication: shows the formal name of the establishment or the person in whose name the church is dedicated, where known.

Alternative names: some of the establishments have had alternative names over the course of time. In order to assist in text-searching such alternatives in name or spelling have been provided.

In this article smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks) and camerae of the military orders of monks (Templars and Hospitallers) are included. The numerous monastic hospitals per se are not included here unless at some time the foundation had, or was purported to have, the status or function of an abbey, priory, friary or preceptory/commandery.

Abbreviations and key

{|class="wikitable"

|+ The sites listed are ruins or fragmentary<br/>remains unless indicated thus:

|-

! *

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | current monastic function

|-

! +

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | current non-monastic ecclesiastic function

|-

! ^

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | current non-ecclesiastic function

|-

!=

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | remains incorporated into later structure

|-

! #

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains

|-

! ~

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | exact site of monastic foundation unknown

|-

! ø

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | possibly no such monastic foundation at location

|-

!¤

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | no such monastic foundation

|-

! ≈

|style="font-size:smaller;font-style:italic;" | identification ambiguous or confused

|}

<small>Locations with names in italics indicate probable duplication (misidentification with another location)<br/>or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented).</small>

{|class="wikitable"

|+ Trusteeship denoted as follows:

|-

| NIEA

|style="font-style:italic;" | Scheduled Monument (NI)

|-

| NM

|style="font-style:italic;" | National Monument (ROI)

|-

| C.I.

|style="font-style:italic;" | Church of Ireland

|-

| R.C.

|style="font-style:italic;" | Roman Catholic Church

|}

List of houses by county

Northern Ireland

County Antrim

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Antrim <sup></sup>)

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County Armagh

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Armagh <sup></sup>)

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County Down

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Down <sup></sup>)

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County Fermanagh

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Fermanagh <sup></sup>)

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County Londonderry

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Londonderry <sup></sup>)

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County Tyrone

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Tyrone <sup></sup>)

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Republic of Ireland

County Carlow

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Carlow <sup></sup>)

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County Cavan

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Cavan <sup></sup>)

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County Clare

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Clare <sup></sup>)

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County Cork

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Cork <sup></sup>)

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County Donegal

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Donegal <sup></sup>)

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County Dublin

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Dublin <sup></sup>)

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County Galway

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Galway <sup></sup>)

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County Kerry

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Kerry <sup></sup>)

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County Kildare

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Kildare <sup></sup>)

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County Kilkenny

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Kilkenny <sup></sup>)

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County Laois

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Laois <sup></sup>)

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County Leitrim

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Leitrim <sup></sup>)

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County Limerick

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Limerick <sup></sup>)

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County Longford

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Longford <sup></sup>)

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County Louth

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Louth <sup></sup>)

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County Mayo

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Mayo <sup></sup>)

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County Meath

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Meath <sup></sup>)

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County Monaghan

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Monaghan <sup></sup>)

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County Offaly

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Offaly <sup></sup>)

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County Roscommon

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Roscommon <sup></sup>)

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County Sligo

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Sligo <sup></sup>)

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County Tipperary

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Tipperary <sup></sup>)

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County Waterford

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Waterford <sup></sup>)

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County Westmeath

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Westmeath <sup></sup>)

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County Wexford

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Wexford <sup></sup>)

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County Wicklow

(For references and location detail see List of monastic houses in County Wicklow <sup></sup>)

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Locations to be established

{| class="wikitable" style="width:99%; font-size:smaller"

!width = 15%|Foundation

!width = 5%|Image

!width = 30%|Communities & provenance

!width = 20%|Formal name or dedication <br />& alternative names

!width = 10%|References

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Acrimensis Friary <sup>~</sup>

|

|Augustinian Friars

|possibly Aughrim, County Galway

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Airdne Dairinnse Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded by 6th century

|Ardnense

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Ballineval Abbey (?) <sup>~</sup>

|

|Premonstratensian Canons<br />daughter of Prémonetré;<br />founded before c.1290;<br />dissolution unknown

|Balinvalensis;<br />Ballalan?<br />also suggested to be Lough Oughter or Ballymore

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Ballistellensis Friary <sup>~</sup>

|

|Augustinian Friars

|Ballistellensis in Connacht

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Belluir Friary <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|Carmelite Friars

|possibly Ballinahinch

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Bellufamensis Friary <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|Augustinian Friars

|Bellufamensis in Connacht;<br />possibly Ballyhaunis

<noinclude>|</noinclude>

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Cluaine-tochne Monastery <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded before 765

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Deroten Friary <sup>~</sup>

|

|Franciscan Friars

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Dissert-Chendubhain Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, cell founded 6th century by St Abban

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Dissert-ternog Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded before 819;<br />situated west of River Barrow

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Dominensis Friary <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|Augustinian Friars;<br />possible former house of Augustinian Canons

| possibly Dunmore, County Galway or Devenish, County Fermanagh

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Domnach-ceirne Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, nuns

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Glen-fuaid Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded before 977, suggested to be located near Sliabh Fuaid, County Armagh, or Glenranny, County Waterford

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Imgoe-Mar-Cerrigi Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded 5th century by St Patrick, possibly located at Emmoo, County Roscommon

|Imgoe-Mar-Cerrigi in Connacht;<br />Imgae-mair-cerrige

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Inisconla Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, possibly Foynes Island, County Limerick, or Carrig Island, County Kerry; "Abbey"

|Inis-connla;<br />Inis-cunla

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Letuba Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, founded before 773; possibly located near the River Liffey

|Leath-abha;<br />Leth-abha

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Mag-Giallain Monastery <sup>~</sup>

|

|early monastic site, mentioned 1310; possibly located in County Mayo or County Roscommon

|

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Molingar Friary <sup>~</sup>

|

|Carmelite Friars, possible post-Reformation foundation at Mullingar, County Westmeath if not Milltown

|Milltown?

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Mont Savachu Friary <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|Carmelite Friars; possibly located in Ulster (if Savacense)

|Savacensis / Savacense?

|

|- valign=top

|style="font-size:larger" |Savacense Friary <sup>~≈?</sup>

|

|Carmelite Friars, probable post-Reormation foundation

|Savacense in Ulster;<br />Mont Savachu?

|

|}

See also

  • Dominicans in Ireland
  • List of abbeys and priories
  • List of castles in Northern Ireland
  • List of castles in the Republic of Ireland
  • List of cathedrals in Ireland
  • List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
  • List of Catholic churches in Ireland
  • List of monastic houses in England
  • List of monastic houses in Scotland
  • List of monastic houses in Wales
  • List of monastic houses on the Isle of Man

Notes

References

Sources

  • Kathleen Hughes & Ann Hamlin The Modern Traveller to the Early Irish Church, Four Courts Press (1997).