The friary, also known as Muckross Abbey, was founded by Franciscans in 1448. The well-preserved cloister (and its centuries-old twisted yew tree), square tower (the only Franciscan tower in Ireland) and the remains of the monastic buildings paint a picture of monastic life in the Middle Ages. The friars suffered numerous raids on the part of marauders over the centuries, until the community was finally dispersed in 1652 by Cromwell's forces.