Ennis Friary – medieval Clare in stone

Overview

The pull at Ennis Friary is the stone. Its collection of 15th- and 16th-century limestone carving is one of the best in any Irish church, and the nave is now roofed over to display it properly, which also makes this a genuine wet-weather stop rather than a quick look at a ruin. The friary sits on Abbey Street beside the River Fergus, a few minutes’ walk from the centre of County Clare’s county town.

It is run by the Office of Public Works and is one of only two OPW guided heritage sites in Clare, so in season a trained guide is on hand to talk you through the carvings and the tombs. Entry is free.

History

The friary was founded in the mid-13th century by Donnchadh Cairbreach O’Brien, king of Thomond, on an island in the Fergus that may already have held a church. The O’Briens funded three monasteries and gave the Franciscans shelter in 1241/2. At its height the community ran to more than 300 friars, and its reputation as a place of learning drew scholars from across Europe.

The buildings grew over two centuries: a sacristy and refectory in 1314, the cloister and transept around 1400, the bell tower around 1475, and the Provincial Chapter held here in 1507.

Then came the Reformation. Henry VIII suppressed the friary in 1537, though the Franciscans kept going, often in secret, with O’Brien backing. The site was later used for the assizes, handed to the Church of Ireland and served as a parish church until 1871. After years as a ruin, the OPW began major repairs in 1952, and the friary was handed back to the Franciscans in 1969, though it remains state-owned.

The carvings to look for: the McMahon tomb (c.1460), with alabaster panels of the Passion; an Ecce Homo panel showing a bound Christ; and the effigy of St Francis displaying the stigmata. The bell tower, built around 1450, still tops the skyline.

What to see and do

If your time is short, head straight for the roofed nave and the carved figures – the stigmata effigy and the McMahon tomb are the reason the friary matters. After that:

• The bell tower – original ashlar piers, a spiral stair and east-facing windows framing the Fergus and Cusack Park.
• The sacristy – a ribbed, barrel-vaulted ceiling; it doubled as a courtroom for the assizes after the Reformation.
• The east window – five lancet lights and delicate tracery that outlasted the 19th-century loss of the roof.
• The graveyard – Church of Ireland and Catholic memorials from the 17th to the 21st century. An ongoing Grave Mapping Project has transcribed many inscriptions, useful if you are tracing Clare ancestors.
• Children’s trail – a short trail that points younger visitors at the stonework.

Guided tours are available on request and self-guided audio leaflets can be bought at reception. For photography the cloister arches and the carvings repay early-morning or late-afternoon light. One thing to note: there are no accessible toilets on site, though the friary itself is wheelchair accessible.

Practical information

Opening hours

The friary is closed outside these dates.

Admission – Free. The first Wednesday of each month also carries free admission for independent visitors and families, subject to availability.

Parking – Free on-site parking; additional paid car and coach spaces nearby on Abbey Street.

Contact

• Website: Heritage Ireland – Ennis Friary
• Phone: +353 65 682 9100 (reception, for guided-tour bookings)

Getting there

The friary is a short walk from Ennis town centre and the bus station; follow the signs to Abbey Street. Ennis is on Irish Rail’s Limerick–Galway line, with the station a short walk away. Cyclists can use the River Fergus cycle path, which runs to the friary entrance on Lower Abbey Street.

Nearby

For more medieval Clare, Clare Abbey stands on the west bank of the Fergus and Quin Abbey is 11 km east; Corcomroe Abbey lies further off in the Burren. In town, the Clare Museum is free and covers 6,000 years of the region’s history. Further afield, Bunratty Castle is 24 km south and Burren National Park about 22 km north.