Lorrha

History

In 843 a Norse expedition led by Turgesius raided Lorrha and the neighbouring settlement of Terryglass. 'Cromwell certainly visited Lorrha, for tradition records him to have committed many sacrilegious acts in the English church-yards; as a proof of which, the remains of Broken crosses are still to be seen; tradition also tells us that the abbey bell was, at the same time, transferred to a neighbouring gentleman's house for security, where its silver tongue was exchanged for one of baser metal. That the abbey was taken possession of and burned, is likewise probable, as the east end, before it became overgrown with ivy, showed several marks of fire. it certainly must have been unroofed before Cromwell's time, for had it had been laid waste by him, tradition would not have so soon forgotten the date of its overthrow.' Close to a historic crossing point of the River Shannon, the area has a long history of bridges and ferry crossings. The present Portumna bridge dates from 1911 (opening section replaced October 2008 ) Lorrha has a rich ecclesiastical history evidenced by the ruins and active religious buildings within the village. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Ruadhan (c. 1912), At the south of the village are the remains of a Dominican Friary founded in the 13th century by Walter de Burgh, Earl of Ulster. The remains consist of: 'It is an oblong uncompact pile of a building, measuring one hundred and twenty feet by twenty four within the walls, and the side walls about twenty-six feet in height. The windows are well proportioned and have stone mullions, which branch out into two parts at top. over most of them are partly flat arches, badly executed, but yet capable of supporting a weight which, perhaps the graceful ones beneath would not be sufficient to bear…