Strade Abbey

Strade Abbey

Mainistir na Sráide
Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Other names	Straide Abbey Abbey of Athletan
Order	Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) Dominican Order
Established	c. 1240
Disestablished	1578
Diocese	Tuam
People
Founder(s)	Jordan de Exeter
Architecture
Status	ruined
Heritage designation	Designations National Monument of Ireland Official name Strade Abbey Reference no. 172
Style	Norman
Site
Location	Strade, County Mayo
Coordinates	53°55′17″N 9°07′44″W / 53.921478°N 9.128848°W
Visible remains	church
Public access	yes

Strade Abbey is a former Franciscan/Dominican monastery and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.^[1][2]

Location

Strade Abbey is located in the eastern part of Strade village.^[3][4][5]

History

Strade Friary was founded c. 1240 by Jordan de Exeter, or his son Stephen, at the bequest of Jordan's wife Basilia, daughter of Meyler de Bermingham. It was inhabited by the Order of Friars Minor (Observant Franciscan Friars), before being refounded by the Dominican Order in 1252/53.^[6] It was burned in 1254.^[7]

In 1266, Thomas, bishop of Lismore, acknowledges to have ‘received at Athlone, on July 2, 1266, from Friar Henry de Siscle and Friar John Matugan [Madden], of the Dominican convent of Athletan [Straide], the sum of 28½ marks, Crusade money, collected by them and their brethren in their own district.

In 1434 Pope Eugene IV granted an indulgence to all who would give help towards the restoration of Strade Abbey.

Strade Friary was dissolved in 1578 and leased to James Garvey. In 1588 a lease of the abbey was granted to Patrick Barnewall for forty years.

In 1756, there were seven friars in Strade Abbey, and four in 1767. Fr. Patrick D. Kelly, the last of the friars of Strade, died c. 1858.^[8]

Building

The buildings that remain are of the 13th–15th centuries, including a magnificent tomb in the north part of the chancel.^[9]

Strade Abbey
Relief of a pelican in connection with a corbel at the north pier of the chancel arch of Strade Priory. This carving was crafted c. 1440-1450  Relief at a tomb in Strade Friary  East window of the north transept of Strade Friary  15th-century sculptured tomb in the north wall of the chancel of Strade Friary

References

1. Bigari, Angelo Maria (c. 1779). "Monument at Strade ; Plan of the Abbey of Strade, Co. Mayo Barony of Gallen". National Library of Ireland. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
2. FreeToDo Travel Guide UK & Ireland. FreeToDo Travel Guides. 2006. p. 410. Retrieved November 7, 2016 – via Google Books.
3. Murphy, Donald (1997). "1997:412 - STRADE ABBEY, STRADE, Mayo". Database of Irish Excavation Reports. Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
4. "Photos of Headstones in Straide Abbey cemetery, Templemore, Gallen, Mayo, Ireland". goldenlangan.com/. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
5. Firbis, Duald Mac (1 January 1844). Geineaich ua Ch-Fiachrach. Irish archæological society. p. 494. Retrieved November 7, 2016 – via Google Books.
6. O'Heyne, John (January 1, 1901). The Irish Dominicans of the Seventeenth Century. p. 80. Retrieved November 7, 2016 – via Google Books.
7. McDermott, Yvonne (February 11, 2011). "Strade, Co. Mayo - The Early History of The Priory of the Holy Cross". Our Irish Heritage. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
8. "Straide Abbey". Straide Parish. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
9. "1250c – Strade Abbey, Co.Mayo". archiseek.com. January 27, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2016.