Why this matters
St Mary's Monastery at Ardcarn, founded in the 12th century as an Arroasian house of nuns and canons, was enlarged by Clarus Mac Mailin in 1243 and later annexed to the convent of Kilcreeva by 1223. It reflects the spread of religious orders in medieval Ireland and the evolving structure of monastic life in the region.
What is recorded here
An Arroasian house of nuns and canons was established as St Mary's, Ardcarn, probably in the 12th century, and the church was enlarged by Clarus Mac Mailin in 1243. By 1223 it had been annexed to the convent of Kilcreevanty, Co. Galway (Hall 2003, 79). An inquisition in 1590 describes the nunnery as a church and two houses of stone. In 1595 it was granted to a Terence O'Byrne, and in 1598 to Trinity College, Dublin. It is situated on flat dry ground at the base of the E-facing slope of Ardcarn Hill. The visible remains consist of the foundations of a mortared stone wall (L 8.67 NW-SE, Wth 0.75m, H 1.75m) within the field-system (RO006-103007-). (Weld 1832, 245-6; O'Flanigan 1931, 90-91; D'alton 1845, 93-6; Gwynne and Hadcock 1988, 312; Tonra 1998)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 24 August 2010
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