Roscommon Abbey

Roscommon Abbey is an early monastic site, founded in the 6th century by St Comman, a disciple of Finnian of Clonard.

Roscommon Abbey was a monastery of the Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian founded after 1140, possibly with Arroasian reformation 1140-8 by Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair at the instance of Saint Malachy.

Roscommon Abbey was plundered by William de Burgh in 1204 and burned by the Anglo-Normans in 1235 and 1247.

Roscommon Abbey was a Dominican priory founded in 1253 by Fedlim Ó Conchobair, king of Connacht. It was plundered by Mac William de Burgo 1260. It was hit by fire in 1270 and lightning in 1308.[2]

Roscommon Abbey was dissolved before 1578; granted to Sir Nicholas Malby in 1578 and to Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia in 1615.[3]

Roscommon Friary is located in the southern part of Roscommon town, The church consisted of a single long aisle with nave and choir; the northern transept was added in the fifteenth century.

On his death in 1265 Fedlim Ó Conchobair was interred in the abbey and his tomb was covered by an effigial slab which can still be seen in a niche in the north-east corner of the church. The effigy was carved between 1290 and 1300 and is one of only two Irish royal effigies surviving from this period.[4]