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Toombeola Abbey (in ruins)

Religious house, Dominican friars

What is recorded here

In an oval graveyard on seashore at mouth of An Abhainn Mhór. Site of a friary established in 1427 by Dominicans of Athenry (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 230). Destroyed in 16th C and its stones were reputedly used to build the castle at Ballynahinch (GA036-001001-). Reestablished in 18th C: a rectangular building, aligned E-W, appears on 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map. This has since been destroyed, but a raised area near centre of graveyard may mark its site. Present remains are of a small rectangular building (NNE-SSW; L 8.2m, Wth 4.8m) with doorway in W wall, narrow windows at either end of E wall, and recess in S. Late 16th-C in date according to Killanin (1954, 101) but it and the graveyard are probably 18-19th-C (see Hardiman 1846, 105-6). The site of a holy well is reputed to lie just outside graveyard to WSW. (O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 126-34) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

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What survives
Recorded monument

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