Creevelea Abbey is a medieval
Franciscan friary
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
and
National Monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
located in Dromahair,
County Leitrim, Ireland.
Creeveley Abbey is now in use for as a grave yard.
Location
Creevelea Abbey is located west of Dromahair, on the west bank of the
Bonet River Bonet may refer to:
* Bonet (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Bonet de Lattes, Jewish physician and astrologer
*Son Bonet Aerodrome
*Casa Bonet (Andorra), heritage house
*'' Felt, Vol. 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet'', album of hip ...
.
History
Creevelea Friary was founded in 1508 by Eóghan O'Rourke,
Lord of West Bréifne, and his wife Margaret O'Brian, daughter of a
King of Thomond. The friary was accidentally burned in 1536 and was rebuilt by Brian Ballach O'Rourke. In 1590
Richard Bingham stabled his horses at Creevelea during his pursuit of
Brian O'Rourke, who had sheltered survivors of the
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...
. Dissolved c. 1598.
Sir
Tadhg O'Rourke
Teigue O'Rourke ( ga, Tadhg Ó Ruairc) (1576–1605) was the last king of West Breifne from 1603 until his death in 1605. He was the son of Brian O'Rourke and Mary Burke of Clanricarde. Raised by his mother in County Galway, he lived most of his ...
(d. 1605), last King of West Bréifne and
Thaddeus Francis O'Rourke
Thaddeus (‘Thady’) Francis (–4 May 1735) was an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Killala from 1707 to 1735. He had been the chaplain for a time to Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Early Years and Family
Little is known of ...
(d. 1735),
Bishop of Killala are buried here. Another house was built for the friars in 1618 and Creevelea was reoccupied by friars in 1642. The Franciscans were driven out by the Cromwellian Army in the 1650s. After the
Restoration, the abbey remained in use until 1837.
Buildings
The remains consist of the church (
nave,
chancel,
transept and
choir),
chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...
,
cloister and domestic buildings. The
bell-tower was converted to living quarters in the 17th century. At one point in its history the church was covered with a thatched roof. Carved in the cloister is an image of
Saint Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a Mysticism, mystic Italian Catholic Church, Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most vener ...
preaching to birds.
Archaeological Preservation
The site is preserved as a
national monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
.
File:Creevelea Friary Tower S 2007 08 16.jpg, Tower
File:Creevelea Window.JPG, Window with tracery
File:Creevelea Friary, Dromahair (4) - geograph.org.uk - 1637297.jpg, Cloister
File:Creevela Abbey 1791.png, Creevela Abbey 1791
File:Creevelea Abbey Floorplan 1791.png, Floorplan 1791
References and Notes
Notes
Citations
Primary sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Secondary sources
*
{{refend
Religion in County Leitrim
Archaeological sites in County Leitrim
National Monuments in County Leitrim
Franciscan monasteries in the Republic of Ireland