One wall of the church remains, just outside the village on the Tullamore road.
Possibly founded by O’Conor Fallighe in 1293, the friary of Killeigh was still Conventual when it was plundered by Lord Grey in 1537-38. The friars managed to remain as a community until about 1580. Individual friars lived on until the Observants came to set up a proper community once again in 1632. While in hiding during the Cromwellian period, the Guardian of Killeigh became Vicar Provincial, but he died before the information reached him. The community emerged into the open again in 1658. By the following century they had become involved in parish work. In 1770-80 there were two friars trying to revive the friary while living at Cully. Fr John Egan died as parish priest of Eglish in 1807. Fr J. J. Donovan was active in the Killurin area about 1821, trying to found a Franciscan school. While he was a member of the Athlone community between 1825 and 1847, he was always interested in reviving an Offaly friary.
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