Description
Ross Abbey, Headford, County Galway, Ireland
The Ross Errilly Friary is a medieval Franciscan friary that was first constructed around 1460 although there is evidence that there may have been an earlier religious church here dating back to 1351 . Ross Errilly Friary is a National Monument of Ireland and among the best-preserved medieval monastic sites in the country. Though usually referred to by locals as “Ross Abbey” this is not technically correct as the community never actually had an abbot.
Like many other abandoned Christian sites in Ireland, Ross Errilly has continued to be used as a burial ground by area residents. In addition to tombs that date from the friary’s active period, many graves dating from the 18th through 20th centuries can be found inside the church walls. In some cases, tombstones comprise the floors of walkways and crawlspaces
