friaries tipperary

The gateway to the present Catholic parish church is part of a Franciscan friary founded by Maelruanigh O'Carroll before 1477. Only the east and north walls of the chancel, the bell tower and parts of the northern nave arcade remain, and some other pieces have been built into the walls. Near the west end of the modern church is a pillar with the carving of an animal which was removed here from Timoney Park 8km away and which may date to the 8th century....

The Abbey of St. Francis was built in 1269 and has been rebuilt on several occasions since, the last reconstruction being completed about 1884. The oldest part of the building is the tower which dates from the 14th century. The most significant recent addition was the shrine of St. Anthony, which opened in 1959 and the stained glass windows which were put in 1960....

The present massive tower, or donjon, was originally one of three towers interspersed in the curtain wall of a strong Norman castle which was also guarded by two semicircular towers and a gatehouse (parts of which remain to the south of the tower). The tower has 5 storeys, and the walls are up to 20 feet thick. A southern window-niche opening off the second floor has Romanesque decoration on the inside, while there is early Gothic decoration on a chimney piece in the floor above.

The...