Overview
Drumlane Abbey holds the only round tower to survive anywhere in the Diocese of Kilmore, which is reason enough to make the short detour off the R201 near Milltown, a mile away. The tower stands beside the buttressed remains of a medieval church on the eastern shore of Garfinny Lough, both wrapped by a graveyard still in use by local families. It is managed by the Office of Public Works as a National Monument, sits within the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark (formerly the Marble Arch Caves Geopark), and is free to walk at any daylight hour. Come for the tower and the carved heads on the church; do not come expecting a café or a toilet, because there are none.
History & Architecture
Early Foundations & Monastic Life
The spiritual origins of Drumlane date to the mid-6th century, when Saint Columba is believed to have introduced Christianity to the area around 555 AD. The site was later developed by Saint Máedóc (known locally as Saint Mogue), who established an early monastery and appointed the Ó Faircheallaigh family as its abbots. Over the centuries, Drumlane grew into a significant religious centre within the Kingdom of Breifne.
The monastery faced repeated violence in its early years. Viking raiders attacked the site in 836, and during the medieval period it caught fire in 1246 amid a violent feud between the rival O’Rourke and O’Reilly clans. Despite these setbacks, the site flourished under the Augustinian Canons Regular, becoming St Mary’s Priory around 1143 under the jurisdiction of Kells Abbey. The Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century ended its religious function, and the church was repurposed for Anglican worship until a new parish church was built in 1821. The medieval building was then unroofed and left to the weather. It passed into state care around 1880, one of the first National Monuments listed after the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1869 transferred 139 ecclesiastical buildings to the Board of Works.
The Round Tower & Church Ruins
The round tower is the only one to survive in the Diocese of Kilmore. Its original wooden tower was replaced in stone in the 12th century, and the stonework still shows two distinct building phases: the lower section is finely cut and tightly fitted, the upper half plainer, suggesting a later rebuild. The entrance sits roughly three metres above ground level, originally reached by a wooden ladder that could be withdrawn during a raid.
The church ruin is the largest of the surviving buildings, with a nave and screened chancel. The details worth stopping for are the dog-tooth carved west doorway, fragments of Romanesque chevron, and a tall three-light east window with flamboyant Gothic tracery. Set into the exterior east wall are three carved stone heads, traditionally read as a bearded king, his queen, and a bishop or abbot. Inside, a richly carved medieval tomb slab leans against the north wall, and the surrounding graveyard holds headstones from the 18th century to the present day.
Recent Discoveries & Conservation
Drumlane Abbey continues to yield new insights into Ireland’s monastic past. In the summer of 2021, the Drumlane History & Heritage Group conducted a geophysical survey roughly 100 metres south of the church, in a pasture field previously identified on Ordnance Survey maps as an ecclesiastical residence. Using magnetic gradiometry and earth resistance techniques, researchers mapped the sub-surface footprint of a substantial building measuring approximately 25 by 20 metres. The findings strongly suggest the former location of the Augustinian priory range, including accommodation for the canons and a refectory, without the need for invasive trenching.
The physical preservation of the visible ruins has also received careful attention. Between 2014 and 2017, OPW conservation architects and stonemasons undertook a major stabilisation project on the church’s east gable wall, which had been slowly shifting away from the side walls due to weathering and the loss of its historic roof. The team rebuilt displaced masonry, reinforced the structure with stainless-steel ties, and repointed the entire wall using traditional lime mortar. A lime-based grout was injected to fill internal voids, and the walltops were flaunched to direct rainwater away from the stonework. The scaffolding remained in place for an additional year to allow the lime materials to cure properly, ensuring the long-term stability of this important ecclesiastical assembly.
Practical Information
Drumlane Abbey is free to enter and accessible year-round during daylight hours. A small car park is located directly off the R201, providing straightforward access for visitors travelling by car. While the main pathways and car park are wheelchair-accessible, the uneven flagstone floor inside the church ruin and the grassy terrain of the graveyard may present challenges for those with limited mobility.
There are no visitor facilities on site, including cafés, retail outlets, or public toilets. Visitors are advised to plan ahead and use amenities in nearby Belturbet or Milltown. Interpretive panels on the grounds provide context on the monastic history, the defensive function of the round tower, and the recent conservation work. Assistance dogs are welcome, and other dogs are permitted but should be kept under control near the active burial ground.
Getting there – From Belturbet, follow the R201 north-west for approximately 5 kilometres; the abbey is signposted from Milltown village and from the N3 Cavan to Dublin road, with free parking directly off the R201. Public transport is limited, so a car, or a taxi from Belturbet or Cavan town, is the realistic option.
Nearby attractions – The abbey sits within a rich heritage corridor. Clough Oughter Castle, a 14th-century fortress on a small island in Lough Oughter, is just a short drive away. The surrounding geopark offers numerous walking routes, geological features, and historic sites across County Cavan and Fermanagh.
Visiting Tips
- Arrive in the early morning or late afternoon for the best natural light on the stone ruins and quieter lakeside walks.
- Pack a picnic and enjoy it on the grassy bank overlooking Garfinny Lough; there are no catering facilities on site.
- Swans and various wading birds are regular on Garfinny Lough, most visible in spring and autumn.
- If you wish to explore the wider region, combine your visit with a drive along the Cavan Drumlins route or a stop at the nearby Woodford River Walk.
- Treat the active graveyard with respect, and keep a safe distance from the church walls to help preserve the stonework.
Save a minute for the three carved heads on the outside of the east gable – the OPW rebuilt that wall between 2014 and 2017, so what you are looking at was very nearly lost.