Franciscan monastery Ardfert

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Northwest view of the Franciscan monastery

The Franciscan monastery Ardfert ( Irish Mainistir Ard Fhearta , English Ardfert Friary ) was founded by Thomas FitzMaurice around 1253 as the Franciscan house consecrated to Francis of Assisi in Ardfert in the Diocese of Ardfert in Ireland . In 1517 the monastery joined the Observants . As part of the Reformation , the Franciscans were expelled from the monastery in 1584. In the 17th century, the brothers were able to return temporarily and stay there until the beginning of the 19th century, when the last Franciscan, Timothy O'Sullivan, died.

history

Cloister on the east side of the monastery garden

The founder Thomas FitzMaurice belonged to the Geraldiner family, d. i.e., he was one of the descendants of Gerald of Windsor and Nest ferch Rhys . His great-grandfather, Maurice FitzGerald , was part of the first Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. His grandfather of the same name, Thomas FitzMaurice, took large parts of Munster together with Geoffrey de Marisco and settled in Shanid (in today's County Limerick ). The Geraldines were among the most important patrons of the Mendicants in Ireland. Maurice II FitzGerald , descended from an older line of the Geraldines and legal counsel of Ireland, supported the Franciscans and Dominicans in their first foundations in Ireland. Accordingly, it was obvious to Thomas FitzMaurice as the first Baron von Kerry to support the establishment of the Franciscans in his dominion. The monastery served the family as a burial place, and so the founder in 1280 and his son in 1303 are said to have been buried there.

Relations between the monastery and the nearby Ardfert Cathedral were not always smooth. In 1309/1310 the Guardian William of Bristol brought a lawsuit against Bishop Nicol Ó Samradáin and his canons that they forcibly removed the body of John de Cantilupes from the monastery and that they had mistreated some of the brothers. The cause of the conflict was probably the not insignificant income that went along with the funerals and the annual masses that followed. For the diocesan priests this could be a considerable loss of income if the monasteries competed with them in this regard. There were similar conflicts before in Dublin and then in Armagh . The lawsuit was upheld, with the consequence that the bishop and his canons were arrested and their property was confiscated.

After the Reformation , the Franciscans were initially able to stay, but were driven out during the Desmond Rebellions in 1584. The tower was then used as a garrison by Colonel Zouche for some time.

architecture

Ardfert Cathedral Choir Windows 2012 09 11.jpg
Ardfert Friary Choir 2012 09 11.jpg


Comparison of the choir areas in the cathedral (left) and the monastery (right)

The architecture of the monastery is largely determined by the recently built cathedral. The similarity of the choir areas is particularly striking. In both cases, lancet windows were used, and in both cases nine closely spaced lancet windows were arranged on the south side, which were closed on the inside with three-pass arches and on the outside with a simple pointed arch. All of this suggests that these parts were made in the 1260s.

In the 14th century or later, the nave was supplemented by a south aisle, which extends over three bays. Its outer wall is no longer preserved. The transept to the south dates from the 15th century. This is confirmed by an inscription stating that the construction was completed in 1453 by Donald Fitz Bohan. Also from this period is the residential tower adjoining the western end of the nave, which is quite unusual for a Franciscan monastery.

Arcades with Tudor arches in the monastery garden

The monastery garden adjoins the north side of the nave, the cloister arcades of which are only preserved on the east and south sides. On the east side, the arcades are arranged in four groups with three windows each. The Tudor arches , which Leask dated around 1470 to build, are unusual for Ireland . At the western end of the southern arcade an unusual type of roof construction has been partially preserved, in which the vault was covered with stone roof panels in such a way that the water is drained into the monastery garden. The main load of this heavy construction was on the outer arch back.

literature

  • Harold G. Leask: Irish Churches and Monastic Buildings II . Gothic Architecture to AD 1400. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk 1960, pp. 113-114 .
  • Harold G. Leask: Irish Churches and Monastic Buildings III . Medieval Gothic The Last Phases. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk 1960, pp. 148 .
  • Aubrey Gwynn , R. Neville Hadcock: Medieval Religious Houses in Ireland . Longman, London 1970, ISBN 0-582-11229-X , pp. 242 .
  • Caroline Toal: North Kerry Archaeological Survey . Brandon, Tralee 1995, ISBN 0-86322-186-6 , pp. 255-256 .
  • Colmán Ó Clabaigh: The Friars in Ireland 1224-1540 . Four Courts Press, Dublin 2012, ISBN 978-1-84682-225-4 .

Web links

Commons : Franziskanerkloster Ardfert  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b c Gwynn, p. 242.
  2. ↑ a b c d Toal, p. 256.
  3. ↑ Ó Clabaigh, p. 95.
  4. ↑ Ó Clabaigh, 150-151.
  5. ↑ Leask II, p. 113.
  6. ↑ Leask II, pp. 113-114.
  7. ↑ Leask II, p. 114.
  8. ↑ Leask III, p. 158.

Coordinates: 52 ° 19 ′ 48.4 "  N , 9 ° 46 ′ 25.9"  W.