"Pinkman Craobh-liath = Grey branch or branchy tree. Craobh, like the word bile, was a name given to large trees, under whose shadows games or religious rites were celebrated, or chiefs inaugurated, or important foundations erected. (Joyce). And, by extension, the name was applied to the place. This was an important place in the days of the O’Ruaircs, and afterwards there was here a Francsican Monastery, that figured a good deal in the Annals of the period. “The Monastery of Baile-Uí-Ruairc, which is, also, called Carraig-Padraig, in Connaught, in the Diocese of Ardagh, was commenced by Owen O’Rourke and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Conor O’Brien.” Four Masters, AD 1508. This Creevelea is beside the village of Drumahaire, which is the O’Rourke’s town, or Baile-Uí-Ruairc of the Annalists. But it is on the other side of the river and in the parish of Killanummery. This Monastery, erected in 1508 according to the Annalists, was accidentally burned in 1536 (Four Masters) , but it was so

" “The Abbey of Creevela is west of Drom town built by the Lady Margaret O’Brien, Owen O’Rork’s wife, AD 1509, for the Franciscans.” (Journal of the Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Antiquarian Society, Iml. 1, Uimh.3, c.1931/2, lch 43) “Balleguarcy. Here, Archdall informs us, ‘in 1518 Cornelius O’Brien founded a beautiful monastery for Conventual Franciscans.’ He furthermore tells us that Father Wadding places in in Longford, while Harris is inclined to think it was in Leitrim This entry puzzled me not a little. Where was Balleguarcy and who was Cornelius O’Brien or what connection could he, presumably a prince of Thomond, have with Leitrim? Archdall’s own account, given further on, of the monastery of ‘Creevlea’ supplied the answer. He there notes that Creevlea was also called Ballyruark and Carric Patrick. Balleguarcy is evidently only a doublet of Ballyruark, that is Baile Ui Ruairc, alias Creevlea. Thus Archdall gives us two monasteries where there was only one. That one was Creevlea, foun

"1802 Crevlea. Called also Ballyruarc and Carrickpatrick Stat.Survey 95 … the real name is Craoibhliath, which means the Grey branch, of the three orders of St. Francis, for whom this house and church were built. They are commonly called Grey Friars; the other two names are not less corrupted (Stat. Survey 95, 96). "

"Med.Rel.Houses: Dromahaire (Creevelea). This Observant friary (Balliniairck, als. Carrag Patrice or Petra Patricii) was fd. in 1508 by Margaret O’Brien (d.1512), wife of Eoghan O’Rourke (and sister of Nuala, v. Donegal): AH6 iii. 198. AH6 ii.161 gives the same date, but the dioc. as Kilmore, Dromahaire itself is in Kilmore, but the friary, south of the town and the R.Brosa, is in Ardagh. Ware 230 and others, give the date as 1509, but in his MS Ware gives 1508. Fr. Donagh Mooney says that the friary was opened from Donegal and hs said his first Mass there: ah6 i.48-9. The various names given to this friary seem to confuse ALS into triplicating it, As Ballegruaircy (p.261), as Cruleach or Ballimark (p.293), and as Cuivelleagh F.T.O (p.304); A407 duplicates it as Balleguarcy and Creevlea. In CRH f.6 there are two names, Croeveleigh and Ballyniairke; but they both refer to the same friary as only one founder, Margaret O’Brien, is given. The church was consecrated by the bp. Of Kilmore in

"Anno Doimini 1508: Mainistir bhaile uí Ruairc, da ngoirthear Carrag Phátricc in easpuccóideacht ard achaidh do thionnsgna la hua ruairc Eoghan, agus la a mhnaoí Mairgrég inghean chonchobhair í bhriain. (“Brussels MS 3410: A Chronological List of the Foundations of the Irish Franciscan Province” Analecta Hibernica, Iml. 6, Samhain 1934) "

[1620idí] “57. Conventus de Balliniairck, alio nominee Petra Patricii, Dioecesis Killmorensis in Conatia anno 1508 ceptus aedificari, et ex parte tantum extructus, cum supervenientibus bellis et persecutione ab Hereticis circa annum 1598…” (“Brevis Synopsis Provincia Hyberniae frum Minorum” Analecta Hibernica, Iml. 6, Samhain 1934, 161)

"Arch. Inventory: Church. On a shoulder overlooking the Bonet River, which is c.150m to NE. Observant Franciscan friary founded by Owen O’Rourke and his wife Margaret O’Brien in 1508, it was accidentally burned in 1536 and suppressed in 1541, but it continued to be used intermittently by the friars until the end of the 17th century (177). "

"LSO: “In the Townland of Creevelea is an Abbey in ruins which is called by the people Mainisteair na Craoibhe Líath. On this Monastery there is a window, for the erection of which, Lady O’Rourke, it is said, gave twenty cows and a bull. Old Charles O’Connor of Bellanagar was educated in his boyhood by a barefooted Friar of this Convent. There is a townland joining Creevelea Townland called Friarstown (Baile na mBráthar) which belonged to the Abbey.” 133/263 "

"ARÉ: 1509 Mainistir baile uí Ruairc da ngoirthear carruic patruicc hi cconnachtaibh in epscopóidecht Ardachaidh do thionnsgnadh lá hua Ruairc Eóghan agus lá a mnaoí Mairghrég inghean conchobhair uí bhriain/The monastery of O’Rourke’s town, which is called Carrickpatrick in Connaught, in the diocese of Ardagh, was commenced by O’Rourke (Owen) and his wife, Margaret, the daughter of Conor O’Brien. Fo-nóta: Carrickpatrick, carruic patruic, i.e. Patrick’s rock. This monastery is said by tradition to have been on or near the site of a primitive church of this name erected by St. Patrick, but the Editor has not been able to get any evidence to support this tradition. For the acts of the Irish apostle in this neighbourhood the reader is referred to the Tripartite Life if St. Patrick… The great monastery erected by St. Patrick in this neighbourhood was at Druim-lias, about a mile east of the town of Dromahire (1301). "

“…the Abby of Creevlea is weast of Drom. Towne, built by the Lady Margret oBryen, owen oRourkes wide, ano Dmi 1509 for the Franciscans, a little below that Abby to ye. Weast…” (RIA MS 12/W/22. Féach Bréifne, 1971, 329).

'grey branch, or bush'

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