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Errew Abbey, Lough Conn, was founded in the 7th century by the Augustinians. Legend has it that a sacred relic from the Abbey lay at the bottom of Lough Conn for centuries before it floated to the surface.

Errew Abbey, Lough Conn, is situated at the extreme end of Errew on a peninsula stretching from the barony of Tirawley into Loch Conn and it was founded by St. Tiernan in the 7th century. Tradition has it that Errew was erected by the Barretts, for the Augustinians, on the site of an earlier church. Bishop Thomas Barrett of Elphin was buried there in 1404.

Errew Abbey; Structure

The area inside is approximately 90′ by 22′. On the East gable is a beautiful ornamental window of cut stone. On the north sidewall near the east gable is a small circular door of cut stone about 4′ high and 3′ broad. Near the east gable on the same side is a window, circular at the top, about 2′ high and a ‘ broad. On the south sidewall, near the east gable, there is another window of cut stone. Also, on the site, is the tiny ‘nuns chapel’ situated north of the Abbey ruins. The foundation in the small building is approximately seven yards in length and three and a half yards in breadth. http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/en/towns-villages/crossmolina/history/errew-abbey.html

Lough Conn

Lough Conn (IrishLoch Con) is a lake in County MayoIreland and covers about 14,000 acres (57 km²). With its immediate neighbour to the south, Lough Cullin, it is connected to the Atlantic by the River Moy. Lough Conn is noted for its trout and salmon fishing.

The ruins of an abbey exist at Errew.

Name

The lake is connected to Lough Cullin by a channel that passes under the R310regional road at Pontoon. The River Deel flows into Lough Conn and exits Lough Cullin at its southern end near Foxford, joining the River Moy which discharges into the Atlantic at Killala Bay.