Adare Franciscan Friary

15th century Franciscan Friary described in the Urban Survey of County Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 32-6) as following; 'The friary of St Michael the Archangel was founded by Thomas FitzGerald, earl of Kildare in 1464 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 242). It was suppressed in 1539-40 although the friars appear to have stayed on until c. 1580 (ibid.). In 1595 it was granted to Sir Henry Wallop. The friary is located to the east of Desmond Castle (LI021-032003-), on the present Adare Manor Golf Course, overlooking the river Maigue to the south. It consists of a nave and chancel church with crossing tower, a south transept with western aisle, the east, west and north range of the cloister, and some auxiliary buildings to the north.

The Church

This consists of a long narrow nave and chancel divided by a tower of contemporary date, and with a south transept, also apparently contemporary, opening off the nave. The walls of the CHANCEL are intact. The east gable is 9m high and it has a four-light pointed window with switch-line tracery, having chamfered jambs, grooves for glass and bar-holes, with a hollow chamfered hood moulding and pointed rear arch with chamfered jambs and pyramidal stops. Above a ledge over this window is a small rectangular window. Externally there are stepped angle buttresses, and a batter c. 2m high. To the north of the window internally is a large, tapering chamfered corbel shaft, presumably the base for a statue. The south wall is 5.25m high, and battered externally (c. 2m) with four twin-light pointed windows, with chamfered jambs, glazing grooves and bar holes and segmental rear arches having dressed jambs to the arches. The eastern window has hollow spandrels and a square hollow-chamfered hood mould. Below the window, internally at the east end are two tomb niches with a sedilia in between.

The sedilia and the tomb to the east were clearly inserted as a unit, while the tomb to the west may also be contemporary. The sedilia consists of three pointed arches above a chamfered mensa; the jambs of the arches are hollow chamfered, with a continuous hollow chamfered hood-mould above and they rest on engaged demi-octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases. The sedilia is framed by the shafts of the adjacent tombs, with a hollow chamfered moulding running above it between the shafts. The tomb niche to the east is round arched, with hollow chamfered jambs ending in pyramidal stops above a chamfered mensa, and hollow chamfered ogee-headed hood mould with foliated pinnacle above. It. is flanked by engaged square shafts, that to the east with crocketed pinnacle and moulded base. In the rear wall of the east tomb is a round headed piscina with demi-octagonal bowl and chamfered jambs, ending in pyramidal stops, on which are traces of wall paint. One red rose is visible on the" chamfer of the arch. The adjacent jambs of the east tomb and sedilia are cut from a single stone. Below each tomb and sedilia at ground level are the tops of arches. The tomb niche to the west has a three centred arch with hollow chamfered jambs ending in pyramidal stops above a chamfered mensa, with ogee-headed, hollow chamfered hood-mould above missing its pinnacle. It is flanked by engaged shafts with crocketed pinnacles and moulded bases. At the west end of the wall are a row of four corbels at the level of the base of the windows.

The north wall is 5.25m high and has a single twin-light rectangular window with chamfered jambs and flat lintelled rear arch at the west end. At east end are three conjoined tomb niches, clearly inserted simultaneously, as adjacent jambs are carved from single blocks of stone. All three have three centred arches with hollow chamfered mouldings above a chamfered mensa, and with ogee-headed hollow chamfered hood moulds with foliated finials above and are flanked by engaged shafts with crocketed pinnacles and moulded bases. The pinnacles of the hood moulds differ slightly. Below each tomb niche at ground level, can be seen the top of an arch. West of the tombs is a pointed door with chamfered jambs, ending in pyramidal stops, leading to the east range of the cloister.

The Tower

This has five floors with parapet and stepped battlements above. It is c. 17m in overall height. The tower rests on four rectangular piers with dressed quoins. Pointed arches c. 6.5m high occur on the east and west while the arches on the north and south are c. 4.5m high. The arch on the north is round and that on the south. is pointed. The north arch has been lowered and a segmental arch c. 2.5m high put in subsequently with a pointed door with chamfered jambs leading to the cloister. In the east face of the northwest pier is a blocked rectangular door which led to stairs rising to a chamber above the south ambulatory of the cloister. In the south wall is a rectangular window with chamfered jambs and flat lintelled rear arch, below which, internally, is a recess with chamfered sill sloping externally and a sloping opening in the base of rear wall. There is no vault above ground floor. In the west face of the north east pier is a stoup with pointed chamfered arch and carved basin. Externally the gables of the nave and chancel can be seen in the wall of the tower with small rectangular windows below. The south wall has a rectangular window with chamfered jambs and flat lintelled rear arch while there is a sloping opening in the north wall. The floor is supported on ledges but it is not clear where access from the ground floor was; it was probably reached by a wooden stairs. Access to all subsequent floors was probably by internal ladders. The south wall has a small rectangular window with chamfered jambs while the other walls are featureless. The third floor is supported on corbels in the east and west walls which also have small rectangular windows. The north and south walls have larger twin-light rectangular windows with chamfered jambs and flat lintelled rear arches. Corbels in the east and west walls probably supported the roof. The parapet has stepped battlements.

The Nave

The north and south walls stand to a height of 5.25m and the west wall is intact at 8.5m. It was it from the north by two twin-light rectangular windows close to the east end and a third close to the west end. The west gable has three graduated lights with a conjoined hollow-chamfered hood mould, while the south wall has a pointed door close to the west end. The south transept and west aisle of the transept are entered through three pointed arches c. 4m high which have chamfered jambs and soffit ribs'.