Buttevant Franciscan Friary

Buttevant Franciscan Friary is a medieval religious compound with a church divided into nave and choir sections. The ruins display carved stone tombs with decorative capitals and arches showing the craftsmanship invested in its construction.

This friary was founded in 1251 by David Óg Barry and operated as a major religious center for nearly 300 years. It closed around 1540 when religious reforms swept through Ireland, ending the life of the community within its walls.

The friary brought together Irish and Anglo-Norman communities who shared the same religious space and conducted their affairs here. You can sense how different people coexisted and worked within these walls over centuries.

The ruins stand in the center of Buttevant town and are easily accessible from the main streets. You can walk around the site freely to view the church remains and trace the outlines of the former buildings on the ground.

A hidden crypt chamber lies beneath the choir area, a rare feature among Irish Franciscan buildings of this period. This underground space reveals how builders incorporated special chambers to fulfill particular needs of the community.

Location: County Cork

Inception: 13 century

GPS coordinates: 52.23150,-8.66911

Latest update: December 9, 2025 20:21