List of monastic houses in County Cavan

Overview

In this article smaller establishments such as cells and notable monastic granges (particularly those with resident monks) and camerae of the military orders of monks (Templars and Hospitallers) are included. The numerous monastic hospitals per se are not included here unless at some time the foundation had, or was purported to have, the status or function of an abbey, priory, friary or preceptory/commandery.

Article layout

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.

Monastic Glossary: following the listing, provides links to articles on the particular monastic orders as well as other terms which appear in the listing.

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).

Trusteeship denoted as follows: NM National Monument C.I. Church of Ireland R.C. Roman Catholic Church

Alphabetical listing of establishments

Foundation	Image	Communities & Provenance	Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names	OnLine References & Location
Belturbet Monastery		early monastic site; remains of round tower 1906[notes 1][notes 2]
Cavan Friary		claims of Dominican Friars prior to Franciscans[notes 3] — evidence lacking; Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular founded c.1325-30 by Giolla O'Reilly (Gila-Isu Roe O'Reilly, Lord of Muintur-Maelmordha); Observant Franciscan Friars reformed 1499 or 1502 (1503); destroyed by fire with much of the town 1576, by a woman of the O'Reilly family; refounded dissolved 1608	The Friary Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Cavan ____________________ Cabhan; Brefinium	53°59′23″N 7°21′43″W / 53.9897576°N 7.3620415°W
Drumlane Priory		Gaelic monks founded before 550, probably by St Colmcille (reputedly founded by St Maidoc, Bishop of Ferns, though already flourishing when he was born); Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian dependent on Kells, Meath; founded 1143-8?; dissolved 1570; granted for a term of 21 years to Hugh O'Reilly, head of the Brenie sept c.1570; nave still used for Divine Service until early 19th century	The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Drumlane ____________________ Drumlane Abbey; Dromlahan	[1] 54°03′33″N 7°28′40″W / 54.0591108°N 7.4779129°W
Killinagh Monastery		early monastic site, founded early 6th century traditionally by St Brigid and St Laighne	Killineach	54°17′11″N 7°54′42″W / 54.2863727°N 7.9117012°W
Killachad Abbey		founded before 800 by St Tigernach; plundered by the English late 12th century
Kilmore Abbey ^#+		Gaelic monks founded 885 traditionally by St Fedlemid, who transferred his community from Slanore; parochial church built on site; raised to episcopal diocesan cathedral status 1452; new parochial church built 19th century, incorporating remnants believed to originate from the monastic site at Trinity Island; now the Church of Ireland cathedral		[2] 53°58′47″N 7°24′51″W / 53.9797649°N 7.4140764°W
Lough Oughter Abbey, Trinity Island		early monastic site; possible episcopal diocesan cathedral prior to transfer to Kilmore; Premonstratensian Canons daughter of Loughkey; island granted to Loughkey by Cathal O'Reilly founded 1237 by Clarus MacMailin (MacMoylon), Archdeacon of Elphin; canons brought from Loughkey 1250; lost conventual status 1412; restored and regained conventual status 1444; granted for a period of 21 years to Hugh O'Reilly, Head of the Brenie sept 1570; found in 1585 that no payment received for over eleven years; dissolved 1585, though canons remained in occupation; ruinous by 1646	Trinity Priory; Loch-uachtair; Locha-uachtair; Lochwochdayr; Ballineval?	53°59′11″N 7°27′47″W / 53.986255°N 7.463050°W
Slanore Monastery		Gaelic monks founded early 6th century by Colman mac Echdach; suggested to have been episcopal diocesan cathedral;[notes 4] transferred to Kilmore by St Fedlemid	Snamluthir	53°58′34″N 7°28′18″W / 53.9760801°N 7.4716688°W
Tomregan Monastery		Gaelic monks; traces of church and round tower[notes 5]	Tuaim-dreacon; Tomregin	54°06′59″N 7°35′43″W / 54.116276°N 7.5953293°W
Urney Monastery		Gaelic monks; remains purported to be a church of the Bishop of Triburna (Kilmore)[notes 6]	Urnaide	54°02′55″N 7°24′15″W / 54.0487064°N 7.4041843°W

Glossary

Orders: Augustinian Augustinian Canons Regular / Austin Canons / Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) - Arrouasian / (Arroasian) - Victorine - Holy Sepulchre Austin Friars (Augustinian Friars) Augustinian Recollects Benedictine / Order of St Benedict (O.S.B.) Bonshommes Bridgettine / Briggittine Carmelites Carmelites (White Friars) Carthusians Cistercian Cluniac Crutched Friars / (Crouched Friars / Crossed Friars / Fratres Cruciferi / Brethren of the Holy Cross) Culdee Dominican (Black Friars) / Ordinis Praedicatorum (Order of Preachers) (O.P.) / Friars Preachers Franciscan (Grey Friars) Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (The Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.) / Ordo Fratrum Minorum) Capuchin (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin) Franciscan Observants Franciscan, Third Order Regular Franciscan Recollects Minoresses (Poor Clares) Friars of the Order of Blessed Mary (Friars of St Mary / Fratres Beatae Mariae) Friars of Penitence of Jesus Christ (Friars of the Sack) Gilbertine Grandmontine Military Orders Knights Hospitaller / Hospitallers / Order of Hospitallers / Knights of Saint John / Order of Saint John Order of the Holy Sepulchre Knights Templar / Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon / Order of the Temple / Templars Order of Saint Lazarus

St. Lazarus Hospitallers Premonstratensian Savignac Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Sisters of St John of Jerusalem Tironensian Trappist Trinitarian (Maturines) Valliscaulian General terms: Abbots / Abbesses / Abbey Alien House Anchorites Camera (pl. Cameræ) Canons Canons Regular cell Commandery Double monastery Friars / Friary Friars Eremites / anchorites Hermits Mendicants Monks Nuns / Nunnery Preceptor / Preceptory Priors / Prioresses / Priory Secular canons

Map link to lists of monastic houses in Ireland by county

Click on a county to go to the corresponding article

Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone Carlow Cavan Clare Cork Donegal Dublin Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow

Notes

1. John Cooke, Handbook for Travellers in Ireland, 1910, VII, Places of Interest, p.lvi
2. source for above reference
3. Cavan Dominicans — Thomas de Burgo, Hibernica Dominicana (ed. 1762), and others
4. Slanore Cathedral: O. Davies, Journal, Royal Society of Antiquities of Ireland, lxxviii p.99
5. Tomregan remains — Lord Killanin & M. V. Duignan, Shell Guide to Ireland, 1962, (new edition 1967), p.83
6. Urney Monastery remains — J. Meehan, The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913-14, viii, p.643

References

1. Drumlane Monastic Site | Attractions | Churches, Abbeys and Monasteries | All Ireland | Republic of Ireland | Cavan | Milltown | Discover Ireland Archived November 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
2. Travelmania Ireland - St. Feithlimidh's / Felim's Cathedral, Church of Ireland, Kilmore, County Cavan

See also

• List of monastic houses in Ireland