Trinity Island Abbey

The priory of Holy Trinity, Lough Oughter, founded by grant of Cathal O'Reilly in 1237, was a daughterhouse of the Premontratensian abbey of Trinity Island, Loughkey, Co. Roscommon (Gwynn & Hadcock 1970, 206). Situated at the centre of a now disused, roughly oval-shaped graveyard (dims. 56m N-S; 40m E-W). Remains comprise ivy-clad W gable and portions of N and S walls of a rectangular church (int. dims. c. 16m E-W; c. 5m N-S) with a transept on S side (int. dims. c. 6m N-S; c. 5m E-W) which appears to have been added during restoration of the priory in the 17th century. Walls of main body of church have a pronounced base batter. Main entrance in W gable, which it is believed, may have been originally adorned by the celebrated Romanesque doorway (CV025-071002-) now at the modern cathedral of Kilmore. Additional blocked entrance with masonry arch at W end of S wall. Fenestration includes large pointed window with chamfered ashlar jambs directly above W gable entrance and stray fragments of window spandrels, tracery and mullions of 15th-century date, scattered about the graveyard. W gable may have been surmounted by a small belfry. A bevelled cross-base with square socket and possible ringed cross-head, and a grotesque head (1712) which is now in the National Museum, were noted at the site in 1948. (O'Connell 1937, 242-289; Davies 1948, 99-109)