Rosserk Friary

Where the Moy Meets the Bay

Rosserk Friary (Ros Eirc) occupies a quiet, elevated site above the River Moy where it widens into Killala Bay, County Mayo. Founded in the mid-fifteenth century, it is among the best-preserved Franciscan friaries in Ireland and stands as a testament to the vibrant religious life that flourished in O’Dubhda territory during the late medieval period.

Foundation and History

The friary was established around 1440–1460 for the Franciscan Third Order Regular, later becoming an Observantine house. Its foundation reflects the wave of religious patronage that swept through Connacht in the fifteenth century, when Gaelic chiefs and Anglo-Norman lords alike founded and endowed houses for the mendicant orders.

Rosserk sat within the broader territory of the Ó Dubhda chiefs. The lands around Killala Bay had been central to O’Dubhda power since at least the twelfth century, and the religious houses that dotted this coastline served the spiritual needs of the clan and their subjects. The friars at Rosserk, like their brethren at nearby Moyne Abbey, would have been intimately connected with the local Gaelic community.

Architecture and Notable Features

Rosserk is compact but remarkably complete. The church follows the typical Franciscan plan: a long, narrow nave and choir separated by a central tower. The domestic buildings — cloister, refectory, kitchen, and dormitory — are arranged around a small cloister garth on the north side of the church.

Several features make Rosserk particularly notable:

• The Round Tower carving — A unique carved panel depicting a round tower, one of only a handful of medieval depictions of Ireland’s iconic round towers. It can be found on the interior wall of the nave.
• The double piscina — An exceptionally fine carved double basin in the chancel, used for washing sacred vessels during Mass. It features delicate Gothic tracery.
• The cloister — Though roofless, the cloister arcade retains carved details and gives a strong sense of the enclosed, contemplative space.
• The kitchen and fireplace — The domestic quarters are well preserved, including a large kitchen fireplace and an oven.
• Angel carvings — Finely carved angel figures on the piscina and in the chancel area.

Destruction in 1590

Like its neighbour Moyne, Rosserk was burned by English forces under Sir Richard Bingham in 1590 during the suppression of Gaelic Ireland in Connacht. The attack was part of a systematic campaign against the religious houses and chieftains of the west. Evidence of the burning can still be seen in the reddened stonework of the walls.

Despite the destruction, the Franciscans maintained a presence in the area into the seventeenth century and beyond, often ministering in secret during the Penal Laws.

Visiting Today

Rosserk Friary is a National Monument in State care. Access is free and unrestricted year-round. The site is reached via a short lane off the R314, well signposted between Ballina and Killala.

The friary sits in peaceful farmland overlooking the Moy estuary. On a clear day, the views across Killala Bay are magnificent. The site is unattended, so bring a torch if you want to explore the darker rooms and passageways.

Rosserk combines beautifully with a visit to Moyne Abbey (2km north) and Rathfran Priory (5km north). The three sites together make for an outstanding half-day walking the medieval monastic landscape of O’Dubhda territory.