Founded by the O’Donnell clan, likely in the latter part of the 15th century, this Franciscan establishment was built for the Third Order Regular, a branch of the Franciscan movement that allowed lay people to live according to religious principles whilst remaining in the secular world. The friary’s construction showcases the resourcefulness of its builders, who used locally sourced granite blocks and slate pinnings for the main structure, whilst incorporating sandstone and greenstone for the finer architectural details.

The friary’s story took a dramatic turn in 1603, just a few years after the Flight of the Earls marked the end of Gaelic Ireland’s old order. As part of the plantation of Ulster, the site was granted to James Fullerton, representing the transfer of religious and political power that characterised this turbulent period in Irish history. This change in ownership effectively ended the friary’s religious function, leaving it to gradually fall into the romantic ruin visitors see today.

Despite its historical significance, archaeological testing conducted in 2003 under excavation licence 03E0672 revealed no additional archaeological features in the vicinity of the friary and its associated graveyard. This absence of buried remains suggests that what stands above ground represents the primary surviving evidence of this once-vital religious community, making the visible ruins all the more precious as a window into Donegal’s medieval past.