Ross Errilly Friary marks 675th anniversary
HUNDREDS of local history enthusiasts descended on Ross Errilly Friary in Headford recently for a special mass to mark its 675th anniversary.
Organised by the St. Fursa’s Historical Society and Ross Errilly Tours, the Mass took place on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15. It was the perfect Feast Day, given the friary was dedicated to Our Lady.
“The Mass was a great success. We invited the ancestors of the people buried in the friary and many of them came along. We also had a great reaction from locals, who are keen to see this become an annual event,” one of the chief organisers, John McHugh, told The Tuam Herald.
“The music was provided by the Headford and Claran church choirs, who amalgamated just for this Mass and did a great job. It was a fantastic occasion, enjoyed by all who attended. It was a nice way to mark the anniversary and celebrate Heritage Week.”
The friary was opened in 1351 by the then Archbishop of Tuam and was filled with members of the Franciscan Order. It was abandoned in the early 1800s, largely due to troubles with the English crown. During its heyday, 141 Franciscans were staying there.
“It was great having a Franciscan on site to perform the Mass; I had contacted the Franciscans in Galway to see if it was possible,” John explained.
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FATHER Ian Cunningham, a member of the Franciscan order in the Abbey, Galway city said the special Mass at Ross Errilly Abbey, Headford. All photos: Ray Ryan RAY RYANImage 2 of 8
THANKFULLY the weather stayed dry for the outdoor Mass at the friary. RAY RYANImage 3 of 8
ANN O’Connell takes a memento photo of Lourda Murphy, Concepta McHugh, Margaret McHugh and Maura Greaney at Ross Errilly Friary.LEFT: THANKFULLY the weather stayed dry for the outdoor Mass at the friary. RAY RYANImage 4 of 8
SOME of those who attended the 675th anniversary Mass at the friary. RAY RYANImage 5 of 8
BERNIE and Jimmy Sweeney with their grandchild Holly at Ross Errilly Friary. RAY RYANImage 6 of 8
SAMIRA Felenda and Katharina Krapets from Headford at Ross Errilly Friary. RAY RYANImage 7 of 8
MASS Servers at Ross Errilly Friary. RAY RYANImage 8 of 8
LEFT: IT was the first time in decades that Mass was held at the historic friary. RAY RYAN“They organised Fr Ian Cunningham to come along, a man who is newly ordained. I believe it is the first time in 200 years someone from their order performed Mass at the friary.”
No mass had been held on the grounds of the friary since the mid-1980s, when one was organised by John’s father, Jim McHugh, to mark the publication of his booklet: The Friary of Ross. It gave a history of the site alongside a guide of what visitors should be looking out for.
To mark Heritage Week last year, John and several other members of the St. Fursa’s Historical Society organised a tour of the friary. Such was its success, they now run four a week, two on Saturday, two on Sunday. They are already planning to extend their team so they can host more tours.
“When we were kids, everyone attending the local national schools were taught about the friary’s history and why it was built. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore and people locally are keen to learn about it. It means we get a lot of locals taking part in our tours too,” added John.
Following the success of the Mass, John expects this to become an annual event. He’s already targeted one item that will make the 2027 celebration stand out: a chalice used centuries ago in the friary.
“The O’Queely Chalice is on display in the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin. If I knew in time about this chalice, I would have fought to get it for our latest Mass, but the museum needs a few months’ notice. Hopefully, we can have it for next year,” he concluded.