Have you visited Creevelea Friary, and did you have an experience you could not explain? Click “Add Your Experience” and share your story.
Creevelea Friary was founded for the Franciscan Order in 1508 by Margaret O’Brien of Thomond, wife of Eoghan O’Rourke, Lord of West Breifne. It was consecrated by Bishop Thomas Mac Brady of Kilmore in 1511. Margaret was buried at the friary in 1513, followed by Eoghan in 1528.
According to the Annals of the Four Masters, the friary was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1536, resulting in the loss of many precious books and sacred vessels. It was later rebuilt by the founders’ son, Bryan Ballach O’Rourke. Over the following century, the friars were expelled from Creevelea at various times, and in 1642, Cromwellian forces forced them to abandon it once more. The friary was finally deserted at the end of the seventeenth century.
Today, Creevelea Friary preserves the remains of a chapter house, sacristy, bakehouse, scriptorium, and other domestic buildings, as well as a church comprising a nave, transept, choir, and tower. During the seventeenth century, the massive bell tower was adapted into living quarters.
The friary is widely believed to be haunted, with witnesses referencing shadows that have been spotted moving among ruins and sudden drops in temperature.
If any users have shared their own paranormal experiences of Creevelea Friary, these will be shared here. To add your own, click “Add Your Experience” below.
All experiences are, of course, open to interpretation. While entries are reviewed before publication to ensure they are relevant to the focus of this website, specific details cannot always be verified. I reserve the right to decline submissions or to redact sensitive information where necessary.
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Visitors should confirm opening hours and access before travelling to Creevelea Friary or any location listed on this site. Information was last updated on March 31, 2026 – if anything has changed, you can suggest an amendment here.
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