School: Clochar na Trócaire, Cill na Mullach (roll number 11855)

On this page

1. The Franciscan Abbey

   

   Share Share Post

   The Franciscan Abbey:- In 1251, David Oge Barry erected this abbey for Friars Minors, and dedicated it to St. Thomas. Of this Franciscan foundation there remains only the church, consisting of a nave and a choir with a southern transept in which is a small eastern chapel. The nave and choir were separated by a tower which fell in 1814. The domestic buildings and cloister garth lay to the north; but these have disappeared, leaving only a few fragments of broken walls to indicate their former existence. The whole of this area, as well as the space within the walls of the church is now occupied by crowded graves and tombstones.
   These are two well-defined periods of architecture in the structure. The original 13th century work of the transitional or early pointed type had red sandstone dressings for the windows, the latter insertions are of limestone. The nave is 24ft 10 ins in width internally, and 75ft. from the west gable to the base of the tower. The original doorway was in the south side and was round-headed, and there were two lancet lights in the south wall of the nave; these lights were built up when the doorway was changed to the west gable, and the two original gable lights were filled in with late Tudor windows, and clerestory lights of the same period were placed on the north wall of the nave. The tower seems to have been inserted at this time.
   The Choir, measuring 57ft. 5inches and the same width as the nave, was lighted by a range of

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Sister M. Brigid

   Gender

   Female