THE ABBEY

The 4th Earl of Desmond founded the Franciscan Friary, or the Abbey which it is more commonly known, about 1389. The abbey is built on the banks of the river Deel and is still in good condition, some of its features include its cloisters, the beautiful transepts, the Stephenson mural tablet, the east window, the carving of St Francis and the chapter room, which is the final resting place of two Irish martyrs.

The abbey is also the burial place of the earls of Desmond. On Oct 1579 after failing to take Askeaton Castle, sir Nicholas Malby attacked the abbey, set fire to the town of Askeaton, in the abbey he put a number of monks to death. In 1627 the friars returned to live among the ruins of the abbey. The catholic confederate forces, who had taken control of the castle in 1642, helped to repair parts of the structure and it was re-established in 1643.part of the abbey was used as the local parish church up to 1847 until it was accidentally destroyed by fire.

The cloisters in the abbey are amongst the finest to be seen anywhere , they measure 204ft and are carved from limestone which was brought from cannon island on the Shannon estuary.

on the north west corner of the cloisters, there is a unique carving of St. Francis, complete with the stigmata. local tradition says if you suffer from a toothache and kiss St. Francis, you will be relieved of your pain. 

The Askeaton Madonna

The Askeaton Madonna, A unique oak carving of the mother and child is now in custody of the National museum of Ireland. prior to its present home at the museum the Madonna was in the possession of the Casey family at Tubrid for many centuries.

The original source of what has been described by many archaeologists as an extraordinary work of art was probably the Franciscan Friary here in Askeaton.

During the turbulent reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 many of our monasteries were destroyed, and our own friary met that same fate with Nicholas Malby's attack of 1579. Many of its treasures were destroyed but fortunately this work of art was given a safe haven.

The exact date of the carving, which stands 3 feet high, cannot be exactly identified, but it is probably of the mid 1400's, a period when our abbey was in all its glory.

The Old Bells of the Friary

The old bells of the Franciscan friary were acquired by the Franciscan order in 1912 having been found near the main entrance to the Abbey while workmen were digging a grave.

the grave was being prepared for Christina Conway, a native of Askeaton, who was a nurse in clonmel and who died in 1912 at the age of 35. the two workmen who unearthed the bells were con kenneally, coolranhee and Ned Murphy clounreask. on finding the bells the two men gave them to Patrick Conway the local headmaster who was a brother of the deceased lady.

He duly rewarded the two men by giving the £2. the bells were then handed over to the Franciscan fathers in limerick city at a pilgrimage mass which was held in the Abbey. the bells were used during the mass but unfortunately the only remaining tongue on one of the bells came undone. Fr. Hilary Killowry OFM who was guardian of the limerick friary from 1936 to 1939 had a deep interest in history and in 1984, three years before his death documented the details of this very important find. the bells are now in the custody of the Franciscan friars at Multyfarnham, Co. Westmeath.

THE PILGRIM'S GRAVE IN THE ABBEY

Phil Rourke of Borrigone near Dysert Castle was parish clerk and shoolmaster. The pilgrim came to askeaton on a foreign ship sixteen or seventeen years before his death. He seemed in search of someone, asking names of strangers and newcomers. he took a room at the hell fire club and had plenty of money. he left askeaton after one month and was away for one year. Phil at the school house near the chapel by the riverside, heard tapping. the pilgrim was back, very altered, hair and beard unkempt, white cheeks - he came in and fainted. he had a belt of money and gave the full to purse to Phil for provisions. he lived in the abbey and only left it once a year, after Christmas, for about a month. he lived on bread and water supplied by Phil.

January, 1784 he got ill and was unable to leave and grew steadily worse. one evening he gave Phil a pocket book saying, "Keep that until the owner comes for it, I have written to him but I fear that he will not see me alive. keep its contents secret and tell nobody. now go for a priest". the priest arrived and administered the last rites. he stayed a long time, leaving near midnight. Phil accompanied the priest to the bridge. on his return the pilgrim was missing. he found him in the long aisle outside the cloister. he died and is buried there.

six months later, Phil saw a boat load of men coming up the river by moonlight. he could see that they were all foreigners and armed. three of them approached Phil and the others went to the abbey. one of the men, the image of the pilgrim, with dark eyes, haughty look, curled hair and beard, asked if the ruin yonder was askeaton abbey and asked of he knew of any foreigner living there. Phil guessed who he was after a few more questions and answers handed over the pocket book. the man was surprised to hear the foreigner was dead and buried and hurried Phil to the grave. Phil lit a lantern at the grave. the man knelt and prayed, opened the book and glanced hurriedly at the papers. one was a rough map of the cloister, he let the book fall in agitation and led his men to the cloisters. Phil took up the book and papers. some of the sailors were pulling down the pillars of the cloisters and others were digging around them wither outlasses. they dug in a circle under the instructions of the leader. after digging a few feet they met a curious old fashioned box. it contained diamonds, jewels and coins of all descriptions. the captain hardly noticed what was in the box. he commanded them to dig deeper all around and they came on a small case make of dark wood and bound with hoops of gold like a large oval snuff-box. the leader sprang forward and grasped it eagerly, opened it and inside was a little picture and a dark looking ring. he kissed it and put it in his pocket. he took away the box and also the pillar. Phil had the papers, showed them to several but none could understand them, he showed them to a Spanish traveller, who told him the story:

Martinez de Mendoza, one of the richest along the seaboard of Catalonia. he owned a ship and was engaged in commerce. he was of noble blood and very proud of his descent. his daughter, Donna beatrix de Mendoza, was very beautiful and the fairest senorita in Barcelona. she fell in love with one of her father's captains, a native of Genoa. they married secretly in the present of his uncle and Donna beatrix's maid. the captain was absent for a year and on his return urged beatrix to tell her father. she refused. he sailed again and the she found she was going to become a mother. her father banished her and vowed vengeance on the Italian.

when the Italian returned he was handed a note "hasten to the convent of vuestra". the senora was dead and the bell was tolling. she had died half an hour before giving birth to a son. he received the mourning ring that she had left for him and left his son to the sisters.

Martinez sold out  and set out in pursuit of the Italian. He came to England and Ireland. He was almost persuaded to give up the quest but the spirit of revenge was too strong and he set out again. when he returned the second time he was a murderer -  where he met him and dispatched him is not known.

To make amends he made his grandson heir to all his wealth., the letter found him on board a privateer. but why did he take the pillars? "wiithin the shadows of the cloister's pillars, which are overhung by the largest branch of the tree in the centre, you will find all that remains of those nearest to you, your mother's portrait and your father's ring and with them the worldly substance of your grandfather who asks but a prayer for his soul in return".

Fitzgerald, in his history, writes: "the crew of a French ship which lay at anchor in the Shannon about 40yrs since having visited the abbey of askeaton contrived to loosen and take away the pillar stones of two of the cloisters as models of beautiful architecture".

Duffy's fireside magazine january 1853.

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