Dominican Friary Portumna |
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Portumna (Port Omna in Irish - meaning 'the landing place of the oak') is a town in the southeast of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with County Tipperary and is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg which is the largest lake on the River Shannon. This is a ruined medieval Dominican priory which is located close to Portumna Castle at the head of Lough Derg. The Cistercians of Dunbrody established a chapel at Portumna dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul in the 13th century. The friary was dissolved at the Reformation, and later came into the possession of the Earl of Clanricarde whose stronghold was Portumna Castle. After it was abandoned by The Cistercians in the 15th century, the O'Madden gave it to the Dominicans, who erected,a church and friary that was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Pope Martin V confirmed their status with a special "Bull" or papal document in 1426. The remains include a church with a nave, chancel and transepts as well as some domestic buildings. Some aspects of the Friary were partly restored in 1954 and part of the cloister has been re-erected. To the east are two narrow and pointed windows that date from the original 13th century Cistercian Church. The rest was built by the Dominicans in the 15th century. One curious feature of the Friary is the head at the base of the doorway, which is upside-down. In the sacristy there is an unusual window - a quatrefoil, which is a window that is composed of four segments of circles.
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