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Monastic Sites

Discover Ireland's ancient monasteries and abbeys that shaped the spiritual landscape

Monastic Site

Downpatrick Monastery 

early monastic site, traditionally founded 5th century by St Patrick on the dun or ráth on which the CI cathedral now stands

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Monastic Site

Downpatrick Observant Friary 

Order: Observant Franciscan Friars

Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1627 in the vicinity of the earlier friary (see immediately above); dissolved 1650s

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Monastic Site

Downpatrick Priory

Order: Benedictine nuns

Cistercian or Benedictine nuns convent founded before 1200? purportedly by the Bagnal family; ruinous by 1513; incorporated into Down Cathedral 1513

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Monastic Site

Downpatrick, St John’s Priory

Order: Arroasian

Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1138 by Malachi O’Morgair; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian adopted after 1140; incorporated in Down Cathedral 1513; dissolved before 1541; granted to Gerald, Earl of Kildare

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Monastic Site

Downpatrick, St Thomas the Martyr’s Priory

Order: Augustinian Canons Regular

Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1183 by John de Courcy, granted by him to the prior and canons of Carlisle; incorporated into Down Cathedral 1513; dissolved before 1541; granted to…

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Monastic Site Clare

Drim Friary (Irish: Mainistir an Droma)

Franciscan Friars — place of refuge; founded c.1740, expelled from Quin; dissolved 1820 (death of last friar)

Monastic Site

Drim Friary (Irish: Mainistir an Droma)

Order: Franciscan Friars

Franciscan Friars — place of refuge; founded c.1740, expelled from Quin; dissolved 1820 (death of last friar)

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Monastic Site Louth

Drogheda — St Laurence’s Franciscan Friary

Founded: 1840

Order: Franciscan

Franciscan Friars founded 1840; dissolved 2000; granted to the Corporation of Drogheda (now Drogheda Borough Council); currently in use as an art gallery, Highlanes Gallery

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Monastic Site Louth

Drogheda Abbey

Founded: before 1171

Order: Benedictine

Benedictine monks founded before 1171, confirmed 1188;; dissolved after 1238, united with Mellifont between 1238 and 1329

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Monastic Site Louth

Drogheda Augustinian Friary

Founded: 1866

Order: Augustinian

Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1866; extant

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Monastic Site Louth

Drogheda Augustinian Priory

Founded: c.1188

Order: Augustinian

Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1188; dependent on Llanthony, confirmed 1188 and c.1207; quasi-collegiate before 1230; dissolved c.1549?

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Monastic Site Louth

Drogheda Black Friars

Founded: 1224

Order: Dominican

Dominican Friars founded 1224 by Luke Netterville, Archbishop of Armagh, purportedly buried here; Regular Observant Dominican Friars reformed 1484; dissolved 1540, surrendered by Prior Peter Lewis, 20 March 1540 by…

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