Clonmel: Franciscan Friary

Cluain Meala: Mainistir Proinsiasach

It was the Mayor of Clonmel, Otto de Grandison, who invited the Franciscans to the town, and the construction of their Friary can be traced to 1269. What is unusual about the site of the Friary, and the buildings that at one time were part of it, is the fact that it was placed inside the town walls, this at a time when abbeys tended to be located outside of towns.

The Original Form

The present structure was renovated in 1884, but one part of the Friary, the Tower, still survives from the original 13th Century structure. Today's church was once the choir of the building, with the nave stretching west, across today's Abbey Street and into the car park opposite the modern entrance. The remains of the nave were demolished when the Street was built in 1760. The cloister and domestic buildings were placed to the south, at the river side of the Friary. These were destroyed when Cromwell built a fort on the site.

A Change in Tenancy

The Friary was dissolved in 1540, and became the property of the 9th Earl of Ormond, but some of the friars remained in the town. The beginning of the 18th Century saw the Friary come under the control of the Unitarians. When they left the building, almost 100 years later, it was again acquired by the friars, who, following alterations, re-opened it in 1828.

1884 Redevelopment

In 1884 Walter G. Doolin gave the church its modern form, and followed the design of the Norman architects who originally built the Friary. The most obvious and easily recognisable feature of this style are the tall lancet windows and the large, circular, quatrefoil windows over the entrance.

The Butler Tomb

An elaborately decorated tomb, housing the remains of members of the Butler family, can be seen inside the church, in a recess underneath the Tower. Dating from the 1530s, the tomb is the final resting place of seven of the Butlers, Lords of Cahir, and was moved from the choir to its present location in the 1600s. The carving on the top shows the image of a knight and lady, lying side by side, with the arms of the Butlers of Cahir between them. A Latin inscription appeals for prayers for deceased members of the Butler family, beginning with James Galdy, who died in 1431.

Sources – Shee & Watson, "Clonmel: An Architectural Guide"; CBC, "Clonmel, Official Guide", "Clonmel Heritage Trail

Browse the Historical Postcard Collection:

Clonmel - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - The Glen of Aherlow

last updated on: Friday, 03-Feb-12 19:32:07 GMT

Ba é Méara Chluain Meala, Otto de Grandison, a thug cuireadh do na Proinsiasaigh teacht chun an bhaile agus is féidir tógáíl a mhainistreach a rianú go 1269. Rud neamhghnáthach faoin mhainistir ná go gcuireadh taobh istigh de bhallaí an bhaile é, é seo ag am a dtógadh mainistreacha taobh amuigh de bhailte de ghnáth.

An Bunfhoirm

Déanadh athchóiriú ar an struchtúr atá ann inniu sa bhliain 1884 ach tá cuid amháin den mhainistir, an túr, a mhaireann fós ón bhunfhoirm 13h hAois. Bhí séipéal na linne seo mar chóir an fhoirgnimh tráth, leis an gcorp ag síneadh siar, trasna Sráid na Mainistreach agus isteach sa charrchlós atá os comhair bhealach isteach na linne seo. Scriosadh a raibh fágtha ann den chorp nuair a tógadh an tSráid i 1760. Bhí an clabhstra agus na foirgnimh cónaithe lonnaithe ó theas, ar thaobh an abhann. Scriosadh iad seo nuair a thóg Cromail dún ar an áit.

Athrú Tionóntachta

Díscaoileadh an mhainistir sa bhliain 1540, agus thit sí i seilbh an 9ú Iarla Urmhumhan, ach d’fhan cuid de na manaigh sa bhaile. Ag tosach an 18ú hAois, tháinig an mhainistir faoi smacht na nÚinitéireach. Nuair a d’fhág siadsan an foirgneamh, beagnach 100 bliain níos déanaí, tháinig na manaigh ar ais i bhfeighil. Tar éis roinnt athchóiriú, d’athoscail an mhainistir in 1828.

Athfhorbairt 1884

Sa bhliain 1884, thug Walter G. Doolin foirm chomhaimseartha an tséipéil dó, agus lean sé dearadh na Normannach a thóg an mhainistir ar an gcéad dul síos. Tá na fuinneoga caola agus na fuinneoga mór ciorclacha ceathairfhíleacha thar an mbealach isteach an-soaitheanta.

Tuama na mBuitléireach

Tá tuama dea-mhaisithe, a thugann cóiríocht do thaisí Chlann de Buitléir, le féiceáil taobh istigh den tséipéal, i gcuas faoin túr. Is é seo láthair scíthe seachtar de na Buitléirigh, Tiarnaí na Cathrach, agus dátaíodh é ó ca. 1530. Bogadh é ón chóir go dtí láthair na haimsire seo sna 1600. Ar bharr tá snoiteán de ridire agus bantiarna, ag luí taobh lena chéile, le harmas na mBuitléireach eatarthu. Iarann inscríbhinn Laidin le haghaidh urnaí ar son baill den chlann Buitléireach atá marbh, ag tosú le Séamas Galldach, a d’éag sa bhliain 1431.
Foinsí – Shee & Watson, "Clonmel: An Architectural Guide"; CBC, "Clonmel, Official Guide", "Clonmel Heritage Trail

Léigh níos mó faoi:

Brabhsáil an bailiúchán chártaí poist stairiúla:

Cluain Meala - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - Gleann Eatharlaí

nuashonraithe ar: Friday, 03-Feb-12 19:32:07 GMT

Tipperary Libraries - High visibility version

Local Studies

Stáidéar Áitiúil