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).
Crutched Friars, brethren and sisters founded c.1207 by Roger Pipard; hospital confirmed 1211 by Eugene, Archbishop of Armagh; dissolved 1539, surrendered 6 December 1539 by Prior George Dowdall; granted to George Dowdall (by then Archbishop of Armagh) for life 1544 by Queen Mary; granted to Edward Moore 1579
St John the Baptist ____________________ Ath-fhirdiadh; Ath-firdead; Ath-ferdia; Ath-erdea; Aichirde; de Atrio Dei
Carmelite Friars founded after 1272 (during the reign of Edward I) by Ralph Pipard rebuilt by the townsmen by 1302, land etc granted by John Littleboy and two others; church burnt down 1315 by the followers of Edward the Bruce whilst filled with men, women and children; dissolved 1539; demolished by the commissioners by 30 September 1540 and the materials sold; friars subsequently returned to Ardee
early monastic site, founded 5th century by St Patrick, purportedly a leper hospital, more likely a hospital for the sick[notes 2]
Ballymascanlan Priory
Cistercian monks apparently intended daughter of Mellifont, 1232-3, on lands granted by Hugh de Lacy; project abandoned 1236, probably deemed too close to Newry
Dominican Friars founded 1305 or 1307 by Richard de Burgo, Earl (Rufus) of Ulster;[notes 3] dissolved before 1541; disputed between Dominican Friars and Franciscan Friars 1670s Dominican Friars to 18th century, transferred to Dundalk
Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual founded c.1240-45, possibly by the townsmen or Lord Darcy de Platina (Platten), or by the Plunket family, or Lord Ralph Pippard; Observant Franciscan Friars reformed not later than 1506 — possibly initially unsuccessfully; reformed 1518; dissolved 1540, surrendered by Richard MOlane, the guardian, 20 March 1540, granted to Richard Aylmer c.1545; friars possibly in occupation until c.1546, abandoned until a new house was erected 1610
Droched-atha; Droichead-atha; Pontana
Drogheda Priory Hospital — St Mary de Urso
Crutched Friars founded c.1206 by Ursus de Suamel as a hospital for the poor and infirm, initially under a warden, possibly not under the Cruciferi until later;[notes 6] dissolved 1540; granted to the mayor etc of Drogheda 1556
St Mary de Urso ____________________ St Mary d'Urso Abbey; The Old Abbey
Crutched Friars founded c.1202-1203 by the mayor of Drogheda, lepers transferred from St Mary Magdalen hospital c.1202; dissolved 1540; granted to the Mayor etc of Drogheda 1556
St Laurence the Martyr
Drogheda Priory Hospital — St John the Baptist
Crutched Friars founded before 1216 (during the reign of King John), possibly by Walter de Lacy; dissolved 1539, surrendered 26 July 1539; granted to James Sedgrave before 1554 (during the reign of Edward VI)
St John Baptist
Drogheda — St Laurence's Franciscan Friary ^
Franciscan Friars founded 1840; dissolved 2000; granted to the Corporation of Drogheda (now Drogheda Borough Council); currently in use as an art gallery, Highlanes Gallery
Carmelite Friars founded after 1272 (during the reign of Edward I) by inhabitants of the English colony; dissolved c.1539; demolished by 11 October 1540; farmed out 1548; friars returned to the town a few years before 1642; convent not recorded as being in existence 1739-59; church rebuilt 1807
Dominican Friars founded 1224 by Luke Netterville, Archbishop of Armagh, purportedly buried here; Regular Observant Dominican Friars reformed 1484; dissolved 1540, surrendered by Prior Peter Lewis, 20 March 1540 by which time the church and most of dorter were ruinous
purported early monastic site[notes 7] Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian dependent on Holy Trinity, Dublin; founded c.1202; suppressed by Albert, Archbishop of Armagh between 1240 and 1244, the church becoming parochial; confirmed to Holy Trinity, Dublin 1244; dissolved after 1262
St Mary ____________________ Druim salen; Druim-salfind
possible hospital founded 1160, possibly granted to a de Verdon before 1189; Crutched Friars, brethren and sisters founded before 1189? (during the reign of King John) by Nicholas de Verdon, or (at the end of the reign of Henry II) by Bertram de Verdon; dissolved1539, surrendered by Prior Patrick Galtrym, with the consent of the convent, 23 November 1539 (or 23 November 1540); held by Henry Draycott during the reign of Queen Mary until surrendered it 12 September 1557
St Leonard ____________________ Dun-dealgan; Dun-delca; Srathbaile; Stradbhaile; Stradvalle; Traigh-bhaile-duine-dealgan
Dundalk Franciscan Friary
Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual founded before 1246 (during the reign of Henry III) by John de Verdon, or his mother Rohesa de Verdon, wife of Theobald Butler; dissolved c.1540; demolished by Lord Grey, the king's deputy by 6 October 1540; granted to James Brandon 1543; friars' community apparently remained in the vicinity Observant Franciscan Friars refounded 1556; dissolved 1563, destroyed and friars expelled by the Protestants 1563 new friary built 1626 (see immediately below)
Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1626 — on finding establishment of Carmelites the Franciscans petitioned for prior rights, upheld by inquiry 1633, ratified by Rome 1638
Dundalk Carmelite Friars
Carmelite Friars founded before 1626; dissolved, Franciscan Friars' petition for prior rights upheld 1633
Dunleer Monastery
early monastic site, founded 6th or 7th century by St Forodran; raided on several occasions by Norsemen and by others; burnt 1148
Lann-leire; Lan-leri; Linnleire; Loinleire
Ernaide Monastery~≈
early monastic site, oratory?, possibly located in County Louth
Ernaensis; Urney?; Nurney? Furney?; Cluainbraoin?
Faughart Monastery
early monastic site, nuns, founded by St Darerca (Moninne)
Augustinian nuns — Arroasian — from Termonfeckin founded after 1507; dissolved c.1517, nuns returned to Termonfeckin;
Calliaghtown; Kaylaghton
Kilsaran Preceptory
Knights Templar founded 12th century by Matilda de Lacy; dissolved 1308-10; granged to Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster; Knights Hospitaller founded after 1314, probably surrendered to the Hospitallers by Richard de Burgo dissolved after 1515; held by Sir Oliver Plunkett by 1541; granted to Sir Thomas Plunkett, Lord of Louth 1570; apparently subsequently passed to the Bellew family
Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian founded before 1148 Donough O'Carroll, King of Oriel and Edan O'Kelly (later, bishop of Clogher); church consecrated 1148; dissolved 1539; granted to Sir James Gernon of Killencowle, who surrendered it 1558
St Peter and St Paul ____________________ Cnoc-na-sengan
early monastic site, founded before 700 by Colman (Mocholmoc) captured by the Norsemen 841, who built a fortress at the site; (some references mistake Linns for Magheralin, County Down)
Linn-duachail; Linn-hUachaille
Louth Priory
early monastic site, founded 5th century, possibly by St Patrick for St Mochta, a Briton; frequently plundered and destroyed by Norsemen and by others; Edan O'Kelly, Bishop of Oriel, translated his see from Clogher to Louth, monastery elevated to cathedral status; Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1140-8; burnt 1148; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian refounded 1148 by Donough O'Carroll, King of Oriel, and Edan O'Kelly; (probably remained Arroasian until 13th century); burnt 1152; burnt 1160; burnt and laid waste 1166; see translated to Clogherc.1192; Augustinian Canons Regular 13th century?; dissolved 1539, surrendered by Prior John Wylley (Welle) 20 November 1539; granted to Oliver Plunkett, Baron of Louth 1541; (NM)
St Mary ____________________ Lughmhagh; Lugmaid; Lugbad
Cistercian monks founded 1142, site selected by St Malachy, grtanted by Donough O'Carroll, King of Oriel (buried here); church consecrated 1157dissolved 1539, surrendered 23 July 1539 by Abbot Richard Contour; converted into a house 1556; occupied by Edward More 1566; (NM)
Old Mellifont Abbey; Fons Mellis; Mainister-mor-Droichet-Atta; Drogheda
early monastic site, monks founded before 523 (or before 519) by St Buite; plundered 970 by Domnall, King of Ireland; Benedictine monks? 10th century — Danish converts
early monastic site, nuns founded before 523 (or before 519) by St Buite, separate from the monks site
Roosky Priory
Knights Templar? possible preceptory — property here owned by the knights
The Priory
Templetown Camera
Knights Templar founded late 12th century, manor granted by Matilda de Lacy; dissolved 1308-11; Knights Hospitaller apparently managed by Kilsaran Preceptory, supra dissolved after 1515?
Ballug; Coly; Cooley; Cowley
Rosmakea
(to the south of Dundalk) - Franciscan Friars here for a time
Termonfeckin Abbey
early monastic site, founded 7th century (665?) by St Feching of Fore; plundered 1025; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian, possible double-monastery with nuns refounded c.1144, probably by Donchad (or Donough) O'Carroll, King of Oriel, at the behest of St Malachy and Bishop Edan O'Kelly; dissolved before 1195, church of St Fechin in parochial use, conventual church dedicated to St Mary; Augustinian nuns — Arroasian before 1195 dependent on Odder; refounded c.1383? dissolved 1539, surrendered by Mary Hubbard, Abbess; leased to Catherine Bruton 1578
^White's list c.1658 (M. Lenihan, Limerick, its History and Antiquities, 1866, p.562;, cf. Registrum Kilmainham, edited by C. McNeill, IMS, 1943, pp.140, 155)
^Dr Logan doubts there were lepers in Ireland at the time of St Patrick
^Tomas de Burgo, Hibernica Dominicana, 1762 edition; A. P. Coleman, O.P., The Ancient Dominican Foundations of Ireland, 1902, doubts Earl Richard was founder, suggesting instead that the foundation occurred during the time of Walter or Roland Joyce, Dominican Archbishops of Armagh, 1307-1311 and 1311-1322
^O'Sullivan, Harold (1960). "The Franciscans in Dundalk". Seanchas Ardmhacha: Journal of the Armagh Diocesan Historical Society. 4 (1): 33–71. doi:10.2307/29740720. JSTOR29740720.
^Ivor, Dermot Mac (1960). "The Knights Templars in County Louth". Seanchas Ardmhacha: Journal of the Armagh Diocesan Historical Society. 4 (1): 72–91. doi:10.2307/29740721. JSTOR29740721.
