Ards Friary

I decided to go for a quick drive to Ards Friary. The friary is part of the Ards Forest Park area and I would think it is the easier one to visit compared to the forest park. As the name implies, this is a place which is centered around a friary. At least, it used to be a friary. It was originally established by the Franciscan Capuchins. For years retreats were conducted here as a place to refresh the soul from the toils of daily life. I could imagine how nice it would be to just get away from it all and recharge for a bit. Eventually because of declining numbers the friars decided to discontinue the retreats. It doesn’t help that the friars themselves were getting on in age with no replacements, they have no choice but to close down the retreat and conferencing aspect of the center.

Statue of Saint Francis of Assisi at the Ards Friary

Fortunately, efforts were made to keep the center going. With the support of the Diocese of Raphoe, the center was kept open. There are still retreats being conducted here and it would be nice to attend one of them. The church is huge and at this time of pandemic, very empty. From the looks of it, it is still very well maintained. There is a cafe here but it is also closed. For now, everything would have to be done outdoors. Apart from the retreat center itself, the scenery outside is arguably even more impressive. There is a reason the friars set up shop here. I think it would really be a nice to go around and meditate with natural beauty all around you.

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