Murrisk Abbey

Murrisk Friary

Murrisk Abbey is located on the southern shores of Clew Bay nestled idyllically beneath the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick. Fr. Hugh O’Malley founded this house of Augustinian Friars in 1457. It was later dedicated to Saint Patrick. In 1578 the land was leased to James Garvey who was the brother of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh. From then until the 1800′s, little is known about the occupants who lived in the friary, but it is known that they suffered persecution at this time. One such friar, namely Fr. Myles Prendergast, had to spend many years on the run in the area of Clifden. Although the friars may have not been in residence, there is evedence to suggest they stayed in the area and administered to their flock.    

A chalice, now in Tuam, has the following inscription: ‘Pray for the souls of Theobald, Lord Viscount Mayo and his wife Meave ní Cnochoure who had me made for the monastery of Murrisk in the year of our Lord 1635.’ Theobald was the son of legendary pirate queen Granuaile, whose ancestors gave the original land to the monastery. A Fr. Phillip Staunton appears to have been the last monk in Murrisk and later died in Ballintubber.   

Switchline Tracery Window with Curved Mullions

The ruins consist of an L-shaped building repersenting the church, the sacristy and the chapter room with overhead dormitory. The church is long and narrow, a shape typical of Augustinian churches. There is a beautiful east window with carved human heads on the wall outside. The south wall is crowned with unusual battlements and a number of trefoil and ogee headed windows. There was a belfry tower at the west end of the church, inserted after the church itself was completed. Note the battlemented parapet that crowns the top of the south wall, which may suggest that the friary also had defensive elements incorporated into its structure. However , the church outlived its new addition; all that survives of this tower now is a ribbed vault.   

Entrance to Abbey

The east end of the church gives access to the sacristy and stone stairs leading to the dormitory on the first floor. North of the sacristy is the chapter room where friars met to discuss the day’s issues and to read. There are no traces of the domsetic buildings which would have accompanied the Abbey, such as the refectory, kitchen or cellars. Today the abbey is  under the supervision of the Office of Public Works and it is well worth a visit.