Monastic Sites
Discover Ireland's ancient monasteries and abbeys that shaped the spiritual landscape
Fuerty Monastery
Founded: 5th century
Order: Early Irish
Early monastic site, founded in the 5th century by St Patrick for deacon Just
Gageborough Priory
Founded: 13th century
Order: Unknown
Nuns (order unknown) founded 13th century? by Matilda de Lacy; dissolution unknonwn
Galbally Friary
Founded: 1296
Order: Carmelite
Carmelite Friars founded 1296 by the Fitzgeralds; dissolved 1541; granted to Sir Henry Wallop 1595
Gallen Priory
Founded: 5th century
Order: Arroasian
Founded 5th century by St Canoc; Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1140-8; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian? possibly adopted at the instance of St Malachy; ruined 1519; plundered 1531 and 1548;…
Galway Augustinian Friary
Order: Augustinian Friars
Augustinian Friars founded 1500 by Margaret Athy, at the request of Richard Nagle; dissolved before 1578; leased to the town 1578; demolished 1652 in order to use the strategic position…
Galway Augustinian Friary *, later site
Order: Augustinian Friars
Augustinian Friars; church opened 4 September 1859; extant
Galway Carmelite Priory
Order: Carmelite Friars
Carmelite Friars founded c.1332? possibly by a member of the de Burgo family; dissolved after 1648
Galway Dominican Nunnery *, current site
Order: Dominican nuns
Dominican nuns founded March 1845 on Taylors Hill, country house known as ‘Mount Eaton’ or ‘Seaview’, previously owned by the Sloper family; extant
Galway Dominican Nunnery, first site
Order: Dominican nuns
Dominican nuns founded 1644 in Augustine Street; exiled by the Cromwellians 1652; returned in 1686 to a house in Kirwan’s Lane (see below)
Galway Dominican Nunnery, second site
Order: Dominican nuns
Dominican nuns founded 1686 in Kirwan’s Lane; expelled on a number of occasions 1691 convent, known as The Slate House, in use as barracks for British soldiers; fell into disrepair;…
Galway Franciscan Friary *
Order: Franciscan Friars
Franciscan Friars built 1660; rebuilt 1781; extant