Religious house - Franciscan Third Order Regular, Balleeghan, Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal

Religious house – Franciscan Third Order Regular, Balleeghan, Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal

Along the eastern shore of Lough Swilly stand the ivy-covered ruins of Balleeghan Friary, a late medieval religious house founded by the O'Donnell family for the Franciscan Third Order Regular, likely in the latter half of the 15th century.

Religious house - Franciscan Third Order Regular, Balleeghan, Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal

Built from granite blocks with slate pinnings and adorned with sandstone and greenstone dressings, these atmospheric ruins offer a glimpse into Ireland’s rich monastic heritage. The site passed into secular hands in 1603 when it was granted to James Fullerton, marking the end of its religious function.

The church ruins, measuring approximately 25 metres by 6.5 metres internally, consist of a single rectangular structure combining nave and chancel without any structural division between them. The walls, standing at their full original height of about 5.6 metres, showcase some remarkable architectural features. The east window is particularly striking with its three lights, transomed design and curvilinear tracery, complete with carved head terminals on its exterior hood-moulding. A curious flight of stone steps protrudes from the inner face of the eastern gable, which archaeologists believe provided access to the altar furnishings and window from behind. The southern wall contains two windows and a doorway, along with a sedilia recess and wall-press that would have served the liturgical needs of the friars.



Archaeological testing carried out in 2003 near the friary uncovered no additional features, though the ruins themselves tell a compelling story of late medieval religious life in Donegal. The northern side of the church once connected to domestic buildings and a sacristy through a now-blocked doorway, though no visible traces of these auxiliary structures remain above ground. Today, two small houses built against the northern wall partially obscure what may be further architectural elements, whilst the enduring granite walls continue to withstand centuries of Atlantic weather, preserved as a scheduled monument and testament to the craftsmanship of medieval Irish builders.

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Balleeghan, Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal
54.98129984, -7.60607505
54.98129984,-7.60607505
Balleeghan, Manorcunningham 
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