Communities/provenance: shows the status and communities existing at each establishment, together with such dates as have been established as well as the fate of the establishment after dissolution, and the current status of the site.
Formal name or dedication: shows the formal name of the establishment or the person in whose name the church is dedicated, where known.
Alternative names: some of the establishments have had alternative names over the course of time. In order to assist in text-searching such alternatives in name or spelling have been provided.
Abbreviations and Key
The sites listed are ruins or fragmentary remains unless indicated thus:
*
current monastic function
+
current non-monastic ecclesiastic function
^
current non-ecclesiastic function
=
remains incorporated into later structure
#
no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains
~
exact site of monastic foundation unknown
ø
possibly no such monastic foundation at location
¤
no such monastic foundation
≈
identification ambiguous or confused
Locations with names in italics indicate probable duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented).
Cistercian monks — from Baltinglass, County Wicklow; (community founded at Aghamanister 1172); transferred from Aghamanister before 1278; founded 1278 by Count McSheribay; jurors deemed the church to have been in parochial use from time immemorial February 1541; dissolved 1541; leased to Viscount Barrymore 1568; leased to Nicholas Walshe, Justice of Munster, 1584; granted in perpetuity to Walshe 1587
Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1229 by Philip de Barry; dissolved 1541; granted to George Bouchier, Esq c.1573 (who forfeited for non-payment of rent); granted to Stephen Walter of Cork in 1583
Gaelic nuns founded 650 (6th or 7th century) by St Abban, for St Gobonate; possibly continuing after 1111; dissolved before 1172? Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular
Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual founded c.1460 (existing by 1466), 1307?[notes 2] 1320[notes 3]) Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1482 by Fr David Hiarlaighy; Observant Franciscan Friars 1522-32; nominally suppressed 1541-2; friars reportedly expelled on several occasions[notes 4] by the English during the reign of Elizabeth I; demolished by Daniel O'Sullivan of Beare; refounded; dissolved 1580 and occupied by the English; O'Sullivan promised to rebuild house 1602
Augustinian Canons Regular — Victorine — from Newtown Trim and St Thomas, Dublin founded 1206-16 by Alexander Fitz Hugh; dissolved c.1545; obtained by Roger Pope of Grangegorman, surrendered to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, 1576-7; held by Viscount of Fermoy 1588; granted to Ludovick Briskell 1595
St Mary ____________________ Bridge Town Priory; Baile-an-dorchid; Balindroghed; Balindregh; Pons Fermoy; Villa-Pontis
Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual founded 1251[notes 6] (1276-9[notes 7] or 1290) by David Oge Barry (David de Barry), Lord Buttevant; nominally suppressed 1540; dissolved 1559 (during the reign of Elizabeth I); Observant Franciscan Friars refounded 1609-29; re-occupied from Restoration to after 1800; (NM)
Ecclesia Tumulorum; Bothon; Buton; Killenenagh; Killnamullagh; Botha-finn
unknown or doubtful establishment, supposedly Cistercian monks; founded 1172 by Dermot MacCarthy, King of Desmond; dissolved; granted to Nicholas Walshe, in perpetuity c.1587; ruins erroneously attributed as Maure Abbey[notes 8] (actually Abbeymahon)
Carmelite Friars founded 1307-9 (1324) from within the de Barry family, (John de Barry[notes 10]), who had been granted license to alienate an area of land for a Carmelite friary 11 August 1309, but inhibited being without papal license; dissolved c.1541; granted to Viscount Barrymore 1568; restored by c.1737; now Castlemartyr
Augustinian Canons Regular founded by Mr O'Callaghan (the O'Callaghan family,[notes 12] possible erroneous reference to Clonmines, County Wexford[notes 13] "site of monastery"[notes 14]
early monastic site, purported nunnery,[notes 15] apparently erroneous reference to Killeedy (Cluainchreduil), County Limerick; founded 6th century by Colman mac Lenine; destroyed many times by Vikings;
St Ite ____________________ Cluain-uama; Cluain-vama; Killeedy (Cluainchreduil) (County Limerick)?
Benedictine monks dependent on Waterford founded c.1191; united to Bath before 1204; dissolved 1536
Cell or hospital of St John the Evangelist, Cork
Cork — St Sepulchre's Priory ø
Benedictine monks — held by St Nicholas's Priory, Exeter, sometime having a prior, though no community here
Cork Priory
Benedictine?-Augustinian nuns founded 1297 on the wishes of Agnes de Hareford, on the findings of enquiry by John Wogan, Justiciar, on direction of the Crown; dissolved before 1540?
Augustinian Friars founded 14th/15th century before 1306[notes 17] (during the reign of Edward I[notes 18]) by Lord Kinsale; Observant Augustinian Friars 1472 to 1475 and 1484; dissolved 1540; granted to Cormac MacCarthy c.1576
The Abbey Church of the Most Holy Trinity ____________________ Red Abbey Tower
Dominican Friars founded 1229 by Lord Philip de Barry; Observant Dominican Friars reformed 1484; dissolved 1540-1; granted to William Boureman 20 December 1543; bought by Brown and Goule; request by the Earl of Desmond to return the friary to the Dominicans 1557 - uncertain whether the Dominicans regained the friary from the purchasers; granted to Sir John King 1616; (subsequent history J. P. O'Heyne, O.P. Irish Dominicans (Epilogue Chronology ...), translated by A. Coleman, O.P., 1902, 1706 and A. Coleman, O.P., The Ancient Dominican Foundations of Ireland, 1902)
daughter house of Cong; founded 1136-7? by Cormac Mac Carthy; dissolved 1542-4; granted c.1590 to Cormac MacCarthy and Sir Richard Grenville; CI Church on site
St John the baptist (correctly St John the Evangelist) ____________________ Antro S. Finarri; Weem; Weym
Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual founded 1214 by Dermot Mor MacCarthy Reagh; built c.1229-31, benefactors the de Barrys and Prendergasts; Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1500; dissolved and abandoned 1540; granted to Andrew Skydy c.1565
St Mary's Shandon ____________________ Seandun; Shandon
Benedictine[notes 19] or Augustinian[notes 20]nuns license granted following petition by Agnes de Hareford, a recluse of Cork, and enquiry by John Wogan, Justiciar 1297, on the direction of the Crown; founded c.1327 by William de Barry who, with John de Barry, John FitzGilbert and Philip FitzRobert granted endowments to Agnes and others nuns; possibly on site later occupied by Market House
Knights Hospitaller (mistakenly given as Knights Templar[notes 21]) hospice rather than regular preceptory, founded before 1212, confirmed to the Hospitallers by Innocent III; built 1292; dissolved 16th century?; passed to the Crown
St John the Baptist ____________________ Sancti Johannis de Corcag
Creggane Friary
supposedFranciscan Friars transferred from Timoleague, arising from a misreading
Crecan in Ibane; Cregane
Cullen Monastery ø
purported Gaelic nuns, founded by St Laitrian (Lasair Fhiona) — ruins near a church held to have belonged to an ancient nunnery,[notes 22] latterly under erenaghs
Cistercian monks — from Inishlounaght founded 1170 by Donal Mor O'Brien; dissolved 1542; granted to Tibold Roch, son of Viscount Roch, before 1570; granted to Sir Richard Grenville c.1590
Castrum Dei; M-fearmaighe; Armoy; Fearmaigh; Iormoy
Dominican Friars founded 1475[notes 23] (1227[notes 24]) by the Roche family; officially suppressed February 1541, though apparently still in occupation during the reign of Elizabeth I; restored; dissolved c.1578, leased to three laymen; held by the Viscount of Fermoy 1588; subsequent history J. P. O'Heyne, O.P. Irish Dominicans,[notes 25] 1706, T. de Burgo, Hibernica Dominicana, edition of 1762 and Daphne Pochin Mould, The Irish Dominicans, p. 126
Priory of the Holy Cross ____________________ Glenn-amhnach; Glenn-amain; Glanore
Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1465-78 (1470,[notes 26] 1478,[notes 27][notes 28]) by Cormac Mac Thady MacCarthy More, King of Desmond, Lord of Muskerry; officially suppressed 1542, friars remaining in occupancy under the protection of the MacCarthy family; dissolved 1577; granted on lease for 21 years to Sir Cormock MacCarthy (Cormac mac Teige MacCarthy), who left the Friars in occupancy; church plundered by English soldiers 1584; restored 1589 under Cormac mac Dermot MacCarthy; sacked 1599; restored 1604; dissolved 1614, fell into Protestant possession, friars expelled c.1614; damaged buildings repaired by Fr. John Gold, 1621; granted by Oliver Cromwell to Lord Broghill 1641; in trusteeship of Commissioners of Public Works 1892; (NM)
early monastic site, Gaelic monks, founded 6th century? by St Abban, probably on a site north of Ui Liathain; Benedictine monks; bestowed on Glascarrig 15th century
Augustinian Canons Regular cell, dependent on Gill Abbey founded ?; probably a vicarage after mid-14th century; dissolved before 1400(?); 'Abbey' site given in Memorial Atlas of Ireland 1901
Carmelite Friars founded 1334[notes 31] (during the reign of Edward III[notes 32]) by Robert fitz Richard Balrain; dissolved 1541 (1543); Queen Elizabeth I; rebuilt 2003-2006; extant
The Friary Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Friary Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel ____________________ Kinsale Abbey; Kynsalle; Cenn-saile
Benedictine monks, daughter house of Waterford Priory dependent on Waterford and Bath; founded sometime before 1301 (after 1204); dissolved before 1350?
Cistercian monks — from Monasteranenagh founded 1179/80, purportedly by the FitzGerald family[notes 34] (or the Barry family[notes 35]); transferred from Monasteranenagh 1180; dissolved before 1573 (1543); abbot and convent remained as tenants after 1548; granted to John FitzEdmond FitzGerald 1573 and 1575; destroyed 19th century; Baptist church of St John reputedly occupies the site
The Abbey Church of Saint Mary of Chore ____________________ de Choro Sancti Benedicti; Castra-na-chore; Chorus S. Benedicti; Monasterore; Middleton M-na-chore
(erroneously given as Knights Templar[notes 36]) founded before 1216 (during the reign of King John) by Alexander de Sancta Helena; later, Knights Hospitaller
early monastic site, founded 590 by Saint Fachnan Mougach unconfirmed suggestion of Augustinian Canons Regular[notes 40] Benedictine monks dependent on St James, Wurzburg; founded before 1148?; reportedly ruinous by February 1541; dissolved 1541
The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Rosscarbery ____________________ Rosscarbery; Rosailithir; Ross-ailithir; Ruis-ailithir; Ross Carberry
Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1460 by Florence O'Driscoll, Magnus[notes 42] or 1470 by Dermit O'Driscoll,[notes 43] papal license granted 1449, at the petition of Fynin Ohedustoy (Fineen O'Driscoll), to found an Observant friary; though no reference to building before 1460 or 1462; dissolved: plundered and burnt 1537 (or 1538), friars removed to the mainland; rebuilt; 1578 restored; granted to John Bealing 1590; friars began to rebuild friary 1627; (NM)
Franciscan Friars founded 1240 by McCarthy Riabach or L William James Barry or c.1307-16 by Margery de Courci, wife of William Barry; built on the site of an earlier monastery; transferred from Cregan 1279 Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1460; dissolved 1542, Friars in occupancy 1626 and 1641 dissolved; passed to Lord Inchiquin; (NM)
Cistercian monks — from Whitland built 1224 by McCarthy; 1225, Cistercian chapter general approved petition from Odo de Barru 1222 and 1223 to found abbey; colonized 22 February 1225; suppressed 1540-1, though monks possibly remained; dissolved after 1541; granted to James Craig and Henry (Gylford (Guilford) 1568; Elizabeth I directed Henry Gylford to have 60-year lease 1568; assigned by Craig to the Earl of Cork
early monastic site, founded 7th century by St Molagga of Timoleague and ann Beachaire, possibly located near Mitchelstown or Fermoy, probably Labbamolaga (supra)
early monastic site, founded by St Berechert, an Anglo-Saxon; Augustinian Canons Regular founded before 1170?, built by Mathew, son of Griffin; cell dependent on Kells Ossory after 1193; dissolved (?)
Dominican Friars founded 1268 (1271[notes 46]) by Thomas fitz Maurice; built 1268 by Maurice, descendant of Lord Offaly; Regular Observant Dominican Friars reformed 1493; dissolved c.1543; granted in perpetuity to William Walshe c.1580; friars probably expelled 1583; granted to John Thickpenny, a soldier, 1584; granted, in the occupation of Thickpenny's widow, to Sir Walter Raleigh, 1587, whereupon the buildings were destroyed, the friars remaining in or near the town
Holy Cross Priory Our Lady of Graces Priory; ____________________ Eochaille; Araill; Iochil; Yoghill; Youghuld
Franciscan Friars built 1224 by Maurice Fitzgerald, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland; Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1460; dissolved 1541-2: church and cloister demolished, convent withdrew to Curraheen, County Waterford; friars apparently returned soon afterwards, with Coraheen retained for use as a refuge in emergency; dissolved 1583, friars expelled or killed and buildings destroyed by English Protestants; abandoned until another house established 1627 (see immediately below)
assumed to have been Franciscan? nuns, possibly St Clare (Franciscan Second Order); convent possibly founded during the reign of Henry II; priory founded before 1385; dissolved 1542
St Anne
Youghill in Munster Friary
Augustinian Friars possibly founded c.1643
Youghal
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^James Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus ejus, edition of 1654, p.198 - mistook order as Franciscans: cf E. B. Fitzmaurice & A. G. Little, Materials for History of the Franciscan Province of Ireland, 1920, p.90
^17 K.James I: 'King's Collections', manuscripts compiled by Dr Madden, late 17th century, revised by Harris, NLI and TCD (Mervyn Achdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786)
^Charles Smith, MD, The ancient and present state of the county and city of Cork (1750), edited 1815, i, p.294 - listed at Clonmine by Lubin
^Louis Augustin Alemand, Monasticum Hibernicum, translated and edited by John Stevens, 1722
^Charles Smith, MD, The ancient and present state of the county and city of Cork (1750), edited 1815, i p.138
^Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, xxxiv. p.129
^Cork Historical Journal, 61 (1956), earliest contemporary record, Will of John de Wynchedon, bequests to the friary and requesting burial in there)
^James Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus ejus, edition of 1654
^William Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, edited by Dodsworth & Dugdale, i, edition of 1682, ii edition of 1673 — possible reference to sisters at Benedictine hospital-cell
^Dr. Cochrane (Cork Archaeological and Historical Society, xviii, p.124)
^Charles Smith, MD, The ancient and present state of the county and city of Cork (1750), edition of 1815, i, p.219
^James Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus ejus, edition of 1654
^ 'King's Collections', manuscripts compiled by Dr Madden, late 17th century, revised by Harris, NLI and TCD (as cited by Mervyn Archdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786) p.74
^Gasparis Jongelini, Notitia Abbatiarum ordines Cisterciensis per orbem universum, 1640 (Louis Augustin Alemand, Monasticum Hibernicum, translated and edited by John Stevens, 1722)
^erroneous reference by Mervyn Archdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786, p.75
^Charles Smith, MD, The ancient and present state of the county and city of Cork (1750), edition of 1815, i, p.294
^ 'King's Collections', manuscripts compiled by Dr Madden, late 17th century, revised by Harris, NLI and TCD (as cited by Mervyn Archdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786), p.76
^Dr Cochrane, Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, xviii, p.125
^tentative reference, Louis Augustin Alemand, Monasticum Hibernicum, translated and edited by John Stevens, 1722, pp.249, 266
^Analecta Hibernica (Irish Manuscript Commission), No.6, Nov. 1934, ii, p.157
^James Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus ejus, edition of 1654
^John Cooke, Handbook for Travellers in Ireland, 1910, p.447
^no name similar to Youghal listed either in Fonds Grand Carmes or Arch. Ord. Rome (Carmelite Order), Manuscripts. II, C.O. II. 26, p.13, written 1739-59
