The Augustinian Friary, once known as the Black Abbey, was founded in 1316 by John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare, and stands beside the river bridge at the north end of the village. It was suppressed under Henry VIII and later brought back into use: in 1807 the church was given to the local Church of Ireland congregation, and it is now St Nicholas' parish church.
It's one of the best-preserved medieval buildings in Adare, with a 15th-century cloister and a 16th-century pietà , and it's usually open during the day. The old refectory was turned into a schoolhouse in 1814, and the friary buildings still house the parish school.