 There were around 400 religious houses in Ireland in 1530—many more, relative to population and material wealth, than in England and Wales.In marked distinction to the situation in England, in Ireland the houses of friars had flourished in the 15th century, attracting popular support and financial endowments, undertaking many ambitious building schemes, and maintaining a regular conventual and spiritual life.Friaries constituted around half of the total number of religious houses.