Communities/provenance: shows the status and communities existing at each establishment, together with such dates as have been established as well as the fate of the establishment after dissolution, and the current status of the site.
Formal name or dedication: shows the formal name of the establishment or the person in whose name the church is dedicated, where known.
Alternative names: some of the establishments have had alternative names over the course of time. In order to assist in text-searching such alternatives in name or spelling have been provided.
Abbreviations and key
The sites listed are ruins or fragmentary remains unless indicated thus:
*
current monastic function
+
current non-monastic ecclesiastic function
^
current non-ecclesiastic function
=
remains incorporated into later structure
#
no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains
~
exact site of monastic foundation unknown
ø
possibly no such monastic foundation at location
¤
no such monastic foundation
≈
identification ambiguous or confused
Locations with names in italics indicate probable duplication (misidentification with another location) or non-existent foundations (either erroneous reference or proposed foundation never implemented).
Cistercian monks — from Boyle daughter house of Boyle founded 1178 by Roderick O'Cananan, Prince of Tyrconnell or Flaharty; colonized 1179 or 1184; dedicated 1184 by Flaharty O'Muldorry; burnt 1377; plundered by Niall Óg O'Neill, King of Tyrone 1398; dissolved after 1597; granted to Anthony Fyrres 1586
early monastic site, Gaelic monks founded 5th century by St Patrick for Dubudae; possibly continuing after 1111; desolated by 1179; erenagh lands until 1609
Observant Franciscan Friars founded 1474 (or 1473) by Aodh Rua (Hugh Rufus) O'Donnell, chief of Tirconnell, and his mother, Nuala O'Connor; plundered and garrisoned by the English 1588; English driven away by Red Hugh 1592; repaired and re-occupied by 1600; abandoned 1601; dissolved 1601; 17th century place of refuge at Lough Eske; removed to Rossnowlagh (extant); (NM)
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular founded c.1535–1540 by MacSwiny Bannagh; dissolved c.1600; Observant Franciscan Friars place of refuge c.1641; church in C.I. parochial use until 1829
St. Catherine ____________________ Cell-beaga;Calebeg; Colebeg; Callobegg-Boylaugh; Kilbeg
Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regular founded 1471 by Calvagh O'Donnell, on grant of petition to the Pope by Franciscan brothers Dermit Idurnyn and Dermit Magillacsbuig; dissolved c.1603; granted to Captain Basil Brooke
Cell Ua dTomhrair; Cell-ua-dtomhrair; Kill-odtonaire; Kill-O-Donel
early monastic site, Gaelic monks founded 5th century by St Patrick or St Dabeoc in the time of St Patrick; Augustinian Canons Regular dependent on Armagh, probably by St Malachy; founded c.1130 (after 1134); Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian; adopted after 1140; plundered 1196 by an O'Cairin; destroyed 1207 by Bratachas O'Boyle and M'Mahon; transferred to Saints Island; dissolved after 1600?
St Debeog; St Patrick ____________________ Finnloch; Termon Dabeoc
Carmelite Friars possibly founded 1403 and subsequently failed, or (refounded?) 1516 by Owen Roe MacSweeney (Mac Suine Fanagh); plundered by Bingham 1595; dissolved; granted to Sir James Fullerton; assigned to Sir Ralph Bingley; rebuilt as a fortified house by Andrew Knox, Bishop of Raphoe, who had obtained the manor from Turlogh Oge Mac Sweeney; convent in existence c.1737
St Mary ____________________ Rath-maonlain; Rath-mullin; Bath-Mullian; Bochminon?
early monastic site, Columban monks traditionally founded 6th century by St Colmcille; probably used as a refuge by religious orders during the reign of Elizabeth I; ruined and plundered by George Bingham 1595 (NM)
^L. A. Alemande, Monasticum Hibernicum, translated and edited by J. Stevens, 1722, p.204
^Mervyn Archdall, Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786, p.100, citing J. Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus, ejus, 1754 edition, however that source lists only Inver in County Antrim as Franciscan
^J. B. Leslie, Raphoe Clergy and Parishes, 1940, p.103
^Coll. de Rebus Hibernicis, BM, Add. MS. 4814, Sloane, f. 4
^J. Ware, De Hibernia, et Antiquitatibus, 1654 edition, p.186
