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Bonamargy Friary is situated in 
Perhaps the friary's most famous resident was the 17th century prophet and recluse Julia MacQuillen. Known as "The Black Nun", MacQuillen wished to be buried at the entrance of the chapel so that she might be trodden under the feet of those who entered. A worn Celtic cross (rounded with a hole in the centre) marks her grave at the west end of the main church.
Around 1822 four manuscripts were found in an old oaken chest in the ruins of Bonamargy Friary. One of these manuscripts is described as "Saint Bonaventures Life of Christ" and/or "A History of the Blessed Scriptures". Another manuscript contained a large portion of one of the principal theological works of Saint Thomas Aquinas, written on vellum, in very contracted Latin and extending to about 600 quarto pages. The earliest date appearing on it is 1338 and the latest 1380. It originally belonged to the Monastery of Saint Anthony, of Amiens in France.
Bonamargy Franciscan Friary is a State Care Historic Monument in the
Bonamargy Friary is situated in County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, off the Cushendall
Cushendall (), formerly known as Newtownglens, is a coastal village and townland (of 153 acres) in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located in the historic barony of Glenarm Lower and the civil parish of Layd, and is part of Causeway Coas ...
Road on the approach to Ballycastle. The name Bonamargy means ‘foot of the Margy River’, the river formed by the joining of the Cary River and Shesk Rivers.
It is a late Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
foundation established in 1485 by Rory MacQuillan. It is said that the first battle between the warring MacDonnell and MacQuillan
McQuillan and MacQuillan are surnames of Ireland, Irish origin. There are several unrelated origins of the surnames McQuillan and MacQuillan.
The Ulster variant of the surname was claimed to be an anglicisation of the Goidelic languages, Gaelic '' ...
clans was fought on nearby land. At the main entrance to the friary is a small two-storey gatehouse which opens into a store and workroom. Well worn steps lead directly to the dormitory above. Traces of an altar can still be found in the adjoining church, and the locked vaults hold the remains of the celebrated chieftain, Sorley Boy MacDonnell
Sorley Boy MacDonnell (Scottish Gaelic: ''Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill''), also spelt as MacDonald (c. 1505 – 1590), Scoto-Irish chief, was the son of Alexander Carragh MacDonnell, 5th of Dunnyveg, of Dunyvaig Castle, lord of Islay and ...
, and several of the Earls of Antrim
Earl of Antrim is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of Ireland and both times for members of the MacDonnell family, originally of Scottish origins.
History
The MacDonells of Antrim descended from Sorley Boy MacDo ...
. His grandson Randall, 1st Marquess of Antrim, noted for his role in the War of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, then separate entities united in a personal union under Charles I. They include the 1639 to 1640 Bis ...
, is also buried there.
Perhaps the friary's most famous resident was the 17th century prophet and recluse Julia MacQuillen. Known as "The Black Nun", MacQuillen wished to be buried at the entrance of the chapel so that she might be trodden under the feet of those who entered. A worn Celtic cross (rounded with a hole in the centre) marks her grave at the west end of the main church.
Around 1822 four manuscripts were found in an old oaken chest in the ruins of Bonamargy Friary. One of these manuscripts is described as "Saint Bonaventures Life of Christ" and/or "A History of the Blessed Scriptures". Another manuscript contained a large portion of one of the principal theological works of Saint Thomas Aquinas, written on vellum, in very contracted Latin and extending to about 600 quarto pages. The earliest date appearing on it is 1338 and the latest 1380. It originally belonged to the Monastery of Saint Anthony, of Amiens in France.
Bonamargy Franciscan Friary is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...
of Bonamargy, in Moyle District Council
Moyle District Council was a local council in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland. It merged with Ballymoney Borough Council, Coleraine Borough Council and Limavady Borough Council in May 2015 under local government reorganisatio ...
area, at grid ref: D1268 4086. The area surrounding the state care monument of Bonamargy Friary is a Scheduled Historic Monument, at grid ref: D1268 4087.
See also
* Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Antrim)References
{{coord, 55.20204, -6.23084, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB-NIR, display=title 1480s establishments in Ireland Ballycastle, County Antrim Christian monasteries established in the 15th century Christian monasteries in Northern Ireland Franciscan monasteries in Northern Ireland Religion in County Antrim Religious buildings and structures completed in 1485 Religious organizations established in the 1480s Ruins in Northern Ireland