The Priory of the Holy Cross, also called Rathfran Friary or Rathfran Priory, is a former Dominican Friary 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 sp ...

located in

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the yew trees") is a county in Ireland. In the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Coun ...

, Ireland.

Location

Rathfran Friary is located on the north bank of the tidal Cloonaghmore River where it flows into

Killala Bay Killala Bay ( ga, Cuan Chill Ala) is a bay on the west coast of Ireland between County Mayo and County Sligo. It is situated between Kilcummin Head to the west and Lenadoon Point to the east. and is the estuary for the River Moy. The village of ...

, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) NNW of

Killala Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a number of ancient ...

town.

History

The friary at Rathfran was founded in 1274, purportedly by a de Exeter, possibly Stephen de Exeter or Richard de Exeter or William de Burgo. In the 15th Century some of the lancet windows in the south wall were built up, and at the same time a separate

aisle An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parl ...

was added and the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-typ ...

partially rebuilt. In the

Yellow Book of Lecan The Yellow Book of Lecan (YBL; Irish: ''Leabhar Buidhe Leacáin''), or TCD MS 1318 (''olim'' H 2.16), is a late medieval Irish manuscript. It contains much of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, besides other material. It is held in the Librar ...

(c. 1391–1401), Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Fir Bhisigh refers to the priory as ''Raith Branduibh as Bind Cluig'', "Brandubh’s Fort of the Sweet Bells." In 1438

indulgences In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission before God of ...

were granted to those who could donate money to allow the building of a

refectory A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries. The name derives from the La ...

and

bell-tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell towe ...

. In 1458 it was reported that the friary was impoverished and reduced by wars and other disasters. Donatus Ó Conchobhair,

Bishop of Killala The Bishop of Killala () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bi ...

1461–67, was formerly a friar at Rathfran. In February 1513, Edmond Burke, then ruler of Conmhaícne Cuile, was murdered at Rathfran, violating the

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a s ...

, by Theobald Reagh and Edmund Ciocarach, sons of Edmond's brother Walter Burke. It was dissolved in 1577 and granted to Thomas de Exeter, and burned by Richard Bingham's army in 1590; the land was granted to William Taaffe in 1596. Friars lived in the area into the 18th century.

Building

The 13th Century church is a long rectangle with a small crucifixion panel over the west door and the remains of a fine triple lancet east window. To the north of the church, there were originally two

cloister A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against ...

s, but only the

foundations Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good caus ...

remain to show where they stood. The living quarters to be seen north of the church date from the 16th century and incorporate part of the original sacristy.

Gallery

File:Rathfran Priory Nave 2013 09 10.jpg, Nave File:Rathfran Priory South Wall Choir Fourth Window 2013 09 10.jpg, Lancet window in south wall File:Rathfran Priory Choir Sedilia 2013 09 10.jpg,

Sedilia In church architecture, sedilia (plural of Latin ''sedīle'', "seat") are seats, usually made of stone, found on the liturgical south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for use during Mass for the officiating priest and his assistants, the d ...

File:Rathfran Priory South Wall Choir Windows 2013 09 10.jpg, South wall File:Rathfran Priory Choir Tomb Niches 2013 09 10.jpg, Tomb niches File:Rathfran Priory Sacristy and Living Quarters 2013 09 10.jpg, Sacristy and living quarters File:Rathfran Priory Nave and Choir 2013 09 10.jpg, Nave and

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...

File:Rathfran Priory Choir Piscina 2013 09 10.jpg,

Piscina A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. For Roman ...

File:Rathfran Priory Cloister Foundations 2013 09 10.jpg,

Cloister A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against ...

foundations File:Rathfran Priory South Aisle East Window 2013 09 10.jpg, East window, south aisle File:Rathfran Priory South Wall Choir First Window 2013 09 10.jpg, Window in south wall File:Rathfran Friary 0230.jpg, South Wall, exterior

References

{{Reflist Dominican monasteries in the Republic of Ireland Religion in County Mayo Archaeological sites in County Mayo National Monuments in County Mayo Places of Conmaicne Cuile Toladh