Religious house — unclassified in Friarstown (dunmurry Ed)

On a stud farm in gently undulating pasture, sloping generally downwards towards the NE. According to local information (SMR file, 1987), the friary of the Black Friars stood here formerly, and ploughing turned up large quantities of stone, some of which was cut. Apparently, stone was removed from the site and used in the construction of some local houses. The townland name Friarstown suggests the townland was a farm belonging to the Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers at Tully (KD022-034----). It may therefore have been the site of a monastic grange, with a residence and farm buildings, and the stone found at this location could be the remains of such a settlement. In the Extents of Monastic Possessions (White 1943) two messuages (ie house, offices, yards etc) are mentioned in the 1540 extent, which were likely to have been the residences and farm buildings of the two tenants - Mawen OGwyn and Cormack McKylmerton. A cottage was also mentioned at Friarstown (pers. comm. Mr. Con Manning). No visible surface traces survive. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 3 October 2012