Roscommon Abbey

Roscommon Abbey
Mainistir Ros Comáin
	Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Other names	Ros-comain; Ros-chomon; Ros-camain; Ros-coman
Order	Canons Regular of Saint Augustine/Dominicans
Established	1140
Disestablished	1578
Diocese	Elphin
Architecture
Status	ruined
Style	Norman
Site
Location	Ballypheasan, Roscommon, County Roscommon
Coordinates	53°37′29.158″N 8°11′30.487″W / 53.62476611°N 8.19180194°W
Public access	yes
National monument of Ireland
Official name	Roscommon Abbey
Reference no.	362

Roscommon Abbey is a former Dominican Priory and National Monument located in Roscommon, Ireland.^[1]

History

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]

Building

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]