This sizeable ruin lies by the shore of Grafinny Lough one of the 365 lakes that exist in County Cavan. Drumlane Abbey is an important ecclesiastical site founded in 555AD by St. Columba (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD). The site is also associated with St. Aiden and St. Maedhog. What is extant today is an 12th century round tower and a medieval church building.
On the original site a wooden round tower and church were constructed but the tower was replaced with a stone construction by the Augustinian order in the 12th century and later by the stone church as seen today. There is a local tale that occasionally the bell from the original church can be heard to ring from the depths of the lough. The abbey was burned twice during the 13th century and found itself embroiled in various battles that took place during the 14th century. The church continued in use after the 17th century plantation as an Anglican place of worship and remained so until 1820 when a new church was constructed. Subsequently the old building was unroofed to avoid taxes and left to ruin. It was later taken under the care of the OPW as a national monument. This is a wonderful ruin. Its position close to the lough gives it a picture postcard look and it is so easily accessible for visitors.
We visited on an early summer's day just after a rain shower and the ozone lingered heavily in the air. A small rough lane leads down to the main gate. Once inside the gate the round tower stands defiantly on your left guarding the more modern cemetery. It stands approx. 38 feet high, maybe four storeys. but is missing its conical top thus making it uncertain how high it was originally. The main door is on the West facing gable and leads into the long rectangular interior. The East gable is complete and sports a large arched window. There is a single window in the South wall along with a smaller doorway and there are three arched windows in the North wall. Standing upright beside the smaller Southern exit is what appears to be an impressive grave marker. Indeed there are several remnants from the building laid out in the interior and also in a locked cage on the exterior of the South wall between two buttresses. The buttresses themselves were added in the later years of the church to add support to the side walls from the weight of the high angled roof. In recent years the OPW has been involved in some remedial work patching up the masonry which in places has of late shown signs of moving outwards.
Within the cemetery on the South side of the church we found a round grave marker featuring a skull & crossbones, a bell, an hourglass and a coffin all supposed to represent the inevitability of death.
To find the ruin take the N3 Northwards from Butlers Bridge until you reach the junction with the N87 at the Belturbet roundabout. Turn left onto the N87 and drive approx 1.6KM until you reach a left hand turn signposted for the R201 to Killashandra. Turn left onto the R201 and drive approx. 2.5KM until you reach the small village of Milltown. Just past the Dumlane Bar, which is on your left, you come to a junction. Tale the narrow road between the buildings across the road following the sign for Drumlane Abbey. Drive down this road and you will spot the ruins ahead. There is a large free car park opposite the graveyard on your right. Access is down the narrow lane opposite the car park.
GPS Location: 54.05850, -7.47880
