I remember that the first time we came here, on April 24th, 1997, I was enchanted by the graveyard sloping to the sea. I thought I'd like to be buried in a place like this one, with the green of the grass that become blue like the water of the sea, with swans swimming along the shore.
This Dominican friary was founded in 1470 by Richard de Burgo of Turlough, who dedicated it to St. Mary. He didn't ask for the permission to Pope Paul II for building it, and the community faced the excommunication, but in 1486, Pope Innocent VIII gave instructions to the Archbishop of Tuam William Joyce to forgive the friars.
Today only the church and the eastern wall of the cloister remain, all the other buildings have been destroyed. The church has a nave and a chancel, a south transept and a low tower.
On the top of the east window is the carving of a human head. Another head can be found above the corbel of a west window. In the southwest corner there's a stone gutter with a double head carving.
In a good weather day I think I could stay here for hours and hours.
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