Monambraher Friary — Monambraher

On a flat slightly raised area in marshy farmland. This is the location of the dwellings where the friars from Kilconnell friary (GA086-001----) took up residence in the late 17th century. The Rev. C.P. Meehan, writing in 1870 recorded that ‘the friars continued to say Mass there [i.e. Kilconnell friary] occasionally, till some short time before the battle of Aughrim [1691], when they took refuge in a neighbouring bog, now called the ‘Friar's Bog,’ where they existed as best they could in miserable shielings.’ (Meehan 1870, 73) This is confirmed by an account written by Samuel Molyneux, in 1709. He visited Kilconnell friary and records that ‘ye Fryers are yet alive, and live, tho' blind with age, on ye charity of the neighbouring papists, in a poor cabin, in a very small island, which they showed me, not ¼ a mile from Kilconnell in a bog ; they employ one to beg for them, and by that means subsist near their old habitation.’ (Bigger 1902, 13). The noted scholoar, John O'Donovan, recorded in 1838 (OS Letters, 602) that 'tradition says that the friars remained in it until a few weeks before the battle of Aughrim when they were driven out by one of King William's Officers after which they fled to Moin na m-brathar (Bog of the friars), a bog in the townland (of Ellagh) where they built Cottages, - in which they remained until 54 years ago [1784]. Mr. Page of Moin na mbrathar found the bell of this abbey in the bog a few years ago, but it is not now in existence. It weighed 12 stones and tradition says that it was the loudest bell in Connaught. The name Kilconnell and the date at which it was founded appeared on its side.' It would appear that the friars remained at Kilconnell until 1698 for in March of that year they distributed or sold their worldly goods (vestments, books, beds, bed linen, kitchen utensils etc.) to various local families (Bigger 1903-4, 13-15). The date of abandonment of 'Moin na Mbrathar' recorded by O'Donovan approximately coincides with the death of the last guardian, Fr Anthony Blake o.f.m.: he died in 1785 and it is likely that there was no friar to take over from him (Conlan 2007, 14). The site of this 'friary' is named 'Monambraher Friary' on 1st ed. OS 6-inch map and indicated as an unenclosed semicircular area delimited by a pecked line along the southern perimeter. There is no building represented within this enclosure. It is named 'Site of' on the 3rd OS 6-inch ed. (1933). All that is now visible is a roughly rectangular area (N-S 100m, E-W 63m) enclosed by two ruined walls (Wth c. 1m), 5m to 15m apart. The area between them is occupied by a stream along E and S sides, and by an avenue-like feature along W and N. The interior is divided by a wall running E-W and slight undulations indicate possible traces of buildings. Immediately NW of the enclosed area are traces of a rectangular house (NE-SW; L 9m, Wth 5m), up to four courses in height: this may well be part of the small house cluster shown in this area on 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Updated by: Paul Walsh Date of revised upload: 9 September 2014