Ross Errily Friary
Ross Errily Friary
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
104 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
28
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Allison H
Lakeland, FL483 contributions
Sept 2022 • Friends
We tried to go to Cong Abbey but the bus crowds were so bad that we left and a little way down the road, we found this beautiful gem. It was a rainy and cold day and we were the only people there. I was able to walk around in the quiet solitude and take in all the history and countryside. Imagine if the ways could talk! I discovered later that the abbey is supposed to be haunted. It sure felt like it that day. Make a detour and be sure to stop here. Sit in the quiet for a while. You won’t be disappointed.
Written 23 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eweiseth
McCall, ID24 contributions
Oct 2019
Well worth the stop. I had reasonably high expectations of this stop and it blew me away. Incredibly well preserved spot where you can really visualize ancient monastic life.
Written 23 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HollyinHuntsville
Huntsville, AL49 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
Very well preserved and quite large, representing life of 15th century Franciscan monks. I like to take photos through windows and doorways; lots of wonderful photo ops with a cloister and pastural surroundings.
Written 13 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steveage
Rexburg, ID3,140 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
This is an old ruin, no glitzy artwork, no interpretive tourist leading people (thankfully) no roof, no food for sale, no bathrooms. It's in a field after you drive though winding, skinny, single lane roads. Originally founded in 1351, enlarged to its current form in 1498 this Franciscan establishment is a testament to perseverance. The Catholic monks were kicked out seven times from 1500's through to 1753, against all odds they always returned. From 1830's through the 1860's published travelers noted a large amount of un-buried human bodies / bones were strewn throughout the interior and exterior of the edifice. There are a few stone carved pieces of art remaining and a load of dead and living black birds all over this ruin. The alive birds seem to be eerily staring at you! There is the church section, cloister, kitchen area easily seen. If you like historic, ruins you will LOVE this place. It feels incredible.
Written 12 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danna W
Columbia, MO15 contributions
Jul 2017
This is just out in the middle of a cow pasture, but is a wonderful medieval monastery. Definitely check out some of the small archways, and huge fireplaces.
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DublinDiane
Dublin228 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
Ross Errilly Friary Ruins
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This is an amazing place to visit. It is located just outside Headford Co. Galway . I had never heard of the friary before but spotted the ruins & followed the narrow lane that led to it. The place is huge , you could spend an hour or two wandering through the cloisters , the chapel & domesticated areas. It is reputed to have been started in the year 1341 & was occupied by Franciscans monks. I loved the 'kitchen' area with its huge oven & deep stone tank used to keep fish alive until they were required for cooking. It would be well worth looking up the history of the friary before you visit : I had to do this afterwards & it is really interesting. The place is quiet , the boreen ( narrow country lane) isn't wide enough for buses so it's very peaceful. The stone work is incredible & one marvels at the skill
of the builders. If you are near by , spend an hour or two wandering among the ruins and don't forget your camera.
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This is an amazing place to visit. It is located just outside Headford Co. Galway . I had never heard of the friary before but spotted the ruins & followed the narrow lane that led to it. The place is huge , you could spend an hour or two wandering through the cloisters , the chapel & domesticated areas. It is reputed to have been started in the year 1341 & was occupied by Franciscans monks. I loved the 'kitchen' area with its huge oven & deep stone tank used to keep fish alive until they were required for cooking. It would be well worth looking up the history of the friary before you visit : I had to do this afterwards & it is really interesting. The place is quiet , the boreen ( narrow country lane) isn't wide enough for buses so it's very peaceful. The stone work is incredible & one marvels at the skill
of the builders. If you are near by , spend an hour or two wandering among the ruins and don't forget your camera.
Written 16 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RoseMarigold77
Inishbiggle, Ireland74 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
I had not planned this visit but was meandering around that day and can never resist a sign to an abbey, church or friary. And this is a fine one, standing out from afar. As someone else has said, you need to research either before or after. so features like the keeping pond for live fish etc make sense, One of the highlights for me was the familiar" door of humility": a low, low doorway the friars had to go through almost on their knees.
Poignant to see the new grave in the nave, and the fresh flowers on another family grave.
On my list to revisit as I live near enough to do that.
It retains the prayer that was there.
Poignant to see the new grave in the nave, and the fresh flowers on another family grave.
On my list to revisit as I live near enough to do that.
It retains the prayer that was there.
Written 5 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linerguy
United States995 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
While researching cool, unknown places to see in Ireland, I came across the Ross Errily Friary. So glad I stumbled upon it as it turned out to be one of our favorite stops during our trip. Interestingly, when the owner of the B&B we were staying at in Galway asked what our plans were that day, we mentioned the friary....she had never heard of it before. I found that odd since it's only about 40 minutes north. It's that remote and unknown.
To get to the friary you have to go through a few narrow country roads, but the pay-off is worth it. Apparently, this is one of the best examples of a friary in all of Ireland. Other than the roof, the entire structure is basically intact, and you can walk around the different rooms. The setting is also lovely....right in the middle of a cow pasture (watch your step!). To top it off, there is no admission fee....but, if there were a fee, I would have gladly paid it.
If you're traveling from Galway to Cong, Ashford Castle and/or Connemara, the friary is on the way. Just head towards Headford and look for the signs. We arrived at about 9:30 a.m., and we were the only people there during the 45 minutes or so that we walked around.
Highly recommended!
To get to the friary you have to go through a few narrow country roads, but the pay-off is worth it. Apparently, this is one of the best examples of a friary in all of Ireland. Other than the roof, the entire structure is basically intact, and you can walk around the different rooms. The setting is also lovely....right in the middle of a cow pasture (watch your step!). To top it off, there is no admission fee....but, if there were a fee, I would have gladly paid it.
If you're traveling from Galway to Cong, Ashford Castle and/or Connemara, the friary is on the way. Just head towards Headford and look for the signs. We arrived at about 9:30 a.m., and we were the only people there during the 45 minutes or so that we walked around.
Highly recommended!
Written 24 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patticarr
Denver, CO53 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
This is one of the best friary ruins that we saw while in Ireland. It's not at all restored, but you can wander around and look at the old headstones. I really liked it and would recommend it to everyone.
Written 27 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Normsmith
Mornington Peninsula, Australia64 contributions
Nov 2015 • Friends
It was cool and wet with westerly gales when we visited in mid nov. with the local river in flood and fields submerged all around but this only added to the atmosphere of this ancient friary which sits on a knoll above the river and has only one little country road for access. We wandered round slowly soaking up the atmosphere of the buildings ,cloisters and chapels where with a little imagination you could envisage the community hundreds of years ago living a simplistic life compared to our modern hussle.
Full credit to those who maintain such a National treasure and have it open to us to view at any time. DO GO it is worth every mile of travel.
Full credit to those who maintain such a National treasure and have it open to us to view at any time. DO GO it is worth every mile of travel.
Written 17 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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