Cavan Friary

If you are passing through the town of Cavan, then don’t miss the Cavan Friary, a superb Irish Dominican abbey. Founded in the 14th century, all that remains today is the main tower and some surrounding ruins. All this in an enchanting setting!

Visit Cavan Friary

An exceptionally well preserved tower!

The monastery was built around 1325-1330 at the request of Giolla O’Reilly, a Dominican who wanted to make Cavan an important cultural and religious center for priests and monks. Ravaged by a terrible fire in 1576 which also affected the entire town, it was abandoned and completely dissolved in 1608.

That’s why there are only a few remains today. The visit of the ruins is free, and will allow you to admire the imposing architecture of its tower. It must be said that the Cavan Friary has a typically medieval charm, and that its surrounding ruins will nevertheless give you a good idea of what the building looked like before it was burned down.

In short, a rather nice historical monument, which is one of the most interesting activities to do in the small Irish town of Cavan!