St Mary’s priory at Burrishoole, also known as Burrishoole Abbey, is situated within one of the many beautiful and sheltered inlets of Clew Bay in west Mayo.
The name Burrishoole preserves the ancient name of this part of Mayo, known as Umhall. During the late medieval period this part of Umhall was controlled the Burkes, a family with Anglo-Norman origins who became close allies of the local Gaelic family, the O’Malleys.
St Mary’s Priory was founded in 1469 by Richard Burke, who was also known as Risteard an Cuarscidh meaning ‘Richard of the Curved Shield’. He was the chief of the Burkes of Turlough near Castlebar and had been elected chief of all the Burkes in Mayo, a position that was distinguished by the title Lord Mac William Oughter.
After giving the Dominican friars land for the construction of the priory in 1469, Richard resigned his title as head of the Mayo Burkes and took the habit of a Dominican friar. He spent his in retirement at Burrishoole until his death here in 1473.
The early years of the priory were controversial ones. The Archbishop of Tuam had given permission for the foundation of the priory but had not obtained papal approval, an oversight for which the friars faced a threat of excommunication.
In 1486 the Pope issued a Papal Bull which authorised the construction of the friary. He also permitted the Archbishop of Tuam to absolve the friars of all guilt and punishment for their hasty actions.
The remains at Burrishoole include the priory church complete with the crossing tower and south transept. At the east end of the church is a fine switch-line tracery widow, typical of the late 15th century. Only a small portion of the cloister and related buildings survive on the north side of the church.
In 1494 Thomas Burke and his wife Grainne Ni Maille donated a silver chalice to the Priory, which is today on display at the National Museum of Ireland. Thomas was the grandson of Richard who had founded the priory, and Grainne was a predecessor of the infamous Grace O’Malley or Granuaile, the so-called pirate queen of the west.
In 1567 Grace had married Richard an Iarainn Burke and for many years the two lived near Burrishoole at Rockfleet Castle. Together they formed a formidable team and Grace was instrumental in helping her husband win the coveted chieftainship of all the Burkes in Mayo.
However, Grace and Richard had a turbulent relationship with the English governor of Connaught, Sir Nicholas Malby. In order to pacify the Burkes, Malby had the priory buildings fortified in 1580. The gun loops for the soldiers who garrisoned the priory are still visible in the priory walls that survive around the cloister.
Over the coming decades, the priory was regularly occupied by a garrison of soldiers. However, the Dominican friars continued to reside in the area until the end of the 18th century.
Within the nave, in the shadow of the bell tower is the grave of Father Manus Sweeney, who was hanged for his part in the 1798 Rebellion.
St Mary’s Priory at Burrishoole has been a National Monument in State Care since 1915 and is managed by the Office of Public Works.