This friary was founded in the late 13th or early 14th century. The Franciscan friars who lived here devoted themselves to the strict rules of poverty and simplicity as laid down by St. Francis, so the architectural details of the building are quite plain. The earliest church was smaller then the present one but was extended when the tower was built in about 1500 by the Franciscan Bishop of Ross, Edmond de Courcy. On the west side of the cloister was the kitchen, and at the north-east corner a dining room with 5 windows overlooking the sea.
After the reformation, some of the friars returned to Timoleague and lived there on and off until 1642, when the friary and town were burnt by English soldiers under Lord Forbes.
Timoleague - from Tigh Molaige (Molaige's House).

People have been buried here since early medieval times. Bishops, abbots and local chieftains such as the McCarthys and the Barrys would have been buried within the precincts of the friary. With the destruction of the friary in 1642 kin groups were buried within and around the ruins. Certain families from the parishes of Timoleague, Barryroe, Kilbrittain and Clonakilty still have strong connections with this graveyard as their members have been buried here for centuries. Families identified their graves with simple stones that are still to be seen but families that are buried under such markers are generally long forgotten.
The earliest known headstone is that of Eoin Mac Aodagain or Eoghan Mac Egan, Bishop - elect of Ross,(48,B). He fell fighting the forces of the Queen, 1603. Also within the ruins is to be found the grave of an O'Hea family of Dunworly near Courtmacsherry (27.B). There is an image of a brave crowing cock engraved on its headstone. He is no doubt loudly proclaiming 'Christ has risen from the dead'. Outside, there is also the grave of Labras O'Cuimneagain or Larry Cunningham (12,A). He was killed in the Civil War, 1923, at Lyre, Clonakilty, on the anti-Treaty side. A brief history of this Timoleague Friary is presented on a notice board at the entrance.
By the middle of the 20th century this friary graveyard was deemed to be full. So an extension was opened on the village side. This in turn has been filled so a new graveyard was opened in 1972 just beside the parish Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is known as St. Molagas Cemetery. The county council obtained the land from a local man, Michael O'Sullivan.