Timoleague Friary

A ruined Franciscan friary on the estuary of the Argideen, founded in the thirteenth century and among the best preserved of its kind in the south. The extensive remains include a church with a tall tower, cloister, refectory, infirmary and dormitories, giving a clear sense of monastic life. It became a centre of trade in imported wine before being burned in the seventeenth century. Set beside tidal mudflats rich in wading birds, the grey walls are especially striking when reflected at high water.