Kilcrea Franciscan Friary

Map Reference: W511683 (1511, 0683)



Kilcrea Franciscan Friary was founded in 1465 by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, son of Thady MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, who was buried in the middle of the choir in the Franciscan habit in 1494. Other possible dates for the foundation are 1470 and 1478. Although the friary was officially suppressed in 1542 the friars remained for many years under the protection of the MacCarthys. They left and returned several times during the Elizabethan era and finally left when the friary fell into Protestant hands in 1614. The building, which had been repaired in 1621, was fortified and used as a barracks by the Cromwellian forces in the 1650s.



The church is a long rectangle with a central tower. There is a south aisle and a south transept with a west aisle. The position of the cloister to the north of the church is clear although there are no remains of the cloister arcade. The ruin is very complete. Although all the roofs and floors are missing most of the walls stand to full height.