Overview
Rosserk Abbey, more correctly Rosserk Friary, is one of the best-preserved Franciscan ruins in the country, and it stands on the bank of the River Moy 7 km north of Ballina, a short drive from the village of Killala. It is a National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works, free to enter, with no ticket desk and no fixed hours. The setting, on the ‘Monasteries of the Moy’ stretch overlooking Killala Bay, is what lifts it above a routine ruin.
History
The friary was founded around 1440 to 1460 by a member of the Joyce family for the Franciscan Third Order Regular – at the time a community of laypeople who kept a religious rule while living in the world. It grew into a centre of devotion for the district.
In 1590 Sir Richard Bingham, Elizabeth I’s governor of Connacht, ordered Rosserk burned, along with the nearby Moyne Abbey, as part of the suppression of Catholic houses. The fire gutted the complex, but the stonework survived almost whole, which is why what you see today reads as a near-complete example of late Irish Gothic monastic building rather than a scatter of footings.
What to look for
If you see one thing, make it the double piscina in the south-east corner of the chancel: a shallow twin basin carved with a round-tower motif, two angels and the instruments of the Passion, an unusually full piece of medieval stone narrative. The west doorway is the other set-piece, its carving still crisp after five centuries.
The church is a single-aisle nave with two chantry chapels off the south transept, and the bell-tower sits over the chancel arch rather than at the west end, which is uncommon. Around the cloister, three vaulted rooms line each side; the upper floor once held the dormitory, refectory and kitchen, and two back-to-back fireplaces still stand. The whole ruin looks out over the Moy and the Killala Bay estuary, and the view shifts with the tide and the light.
The site is unguided, so watch your footing on the stone, which gets greasy after rain.
Monasteries of the Moy
Rosserk is one end of the short, self-guided ‘Monasteries of the Moy’ walk, which links it with Moyne Abbey about 6 km north along quiet lanes and river path. Signage is thin, so carry a map or the OPW site plan rather than trusting the waymarking.
Getting there
From Ballina take the R310 north towards Killala; the turn for Rosserk is signposted, and the drive is about 10 minutes. Public transport is sparse, so a car is the realistic option. If you are doing the Monasteries of the Moy circuit, Moyne Abbey lies another 6 km further north along the estuary.
Practical information
Rosserk is open all year, free, during daylight hours, with no set timetable.
| Season | Hours | Admission |
|---|---|---|
| All year | Daylight hours (roughly 9am–6pm) | Free |
For more, see the Discover Ireland page.
Nearby
- Tobar Mhuire (Mary’s Well) – a grassy holy well a short, well-marked walk from the abbey.
- Killala – about 4 km on, with cafés, toilets and a tourist office; the round tower and St Patrick’s Cathedral are within walking distance of each other.
- Mount Falcon Estate – the nearest hotel for an overnight, with dining (website).
- Moyne Abbey – the other Franciscan ruin on the Moy, reached on the trail north.