monastic sites clare

Some 2 km northwards on this road is Noughaval, an ancient monastic site which continued to be occupied up to the 19th century. The remains of the church show that it was built and restored at different times, from the 12th to the 14th centuries. A short distance from the church is a stone-roofed memorial chapel of the O'Davoren family. It was built in 1725 by James Davoren of Lisdoonvarna....

Dysert O'Dea is renowned for its wealth of historical and archelogical remains....

Killinaboy is an early monastic site named after St. Inghean Bhaoth. It has the remains of a church of the 11th or 12th century, over the south door, a Sheila-na-gig, female figure with no ascertainable ecclesiastical significance. On the outside of the west gable is the design of a two bar cross in the masonry. There is also the base of a round tower.

A short distance away on the bank of the River Fergus is an ivy-clad turret and bawn, known as De Clare's House.

About 1.5 k...

Some 3 km further on, left, are the striking remains of this former episcopal centre. St. Colman, the MacDuagh referred to, founded the monastery in the 6th century. He was a kinsman of King Guarie of Gort, who donated the site. The monastic remains comprise the Church of Ireland cathedral, part of which dates from the 10th century; a fine example of round tower structure which has a notable lean from the perpendicular; John the Baptist's church, north-northeast of the Cathedral, now in ruins...