towers historical ireland

St Declan founded Ireland's earliest Christian settlement in Ardmore in 416 A.D. before the arrival of St Patrick. The 12th Century Round Tower, is 29m high and is the best example of an Irish Round Tower. The carvings on the West Gable of the Cathedral are special to Ardmore and depict Biblical scenes, as well as scenes from the early Christianisation of Ardmore. Nearby are St Declan's Grave (Beannachan). Ogham Stones, St. Declan's Stone and St. Declan's Well (Hermitage). The Round Tower...

A strategic tower known as the Black Castle, guarding the very early river crossing. Access direct from the tow-path....

The Round Tower Lusk: The most striking visual feature of the area. Built around the 9th century by the local monks, to protect themselves from Viking invasions. The first recorded Viking invasion was in 795 when the monastery at Lambay Island was plundered. The area that can be seen from the top of the Tower covers 20 sq. miles....

Kilree (Cell Righ in Irish) makes certain its former importance is not overlooked by the presence of a lofty 10th century round tower. That alone means that in this important and ancient place there was need of lookout vigilance and a need for protection of precious objects....

The foundation of the first monastery is attributed to St. Cronan, otherwise called Mo-Chua, who lived possibly in the 6th century. The monastery is first mentioned in 776.
It was plundered by the Vikings in 832. In 1076 the southern half of Ireland demanded the expulsion of O'Ronain from the abbacy as it was claimed that he held it against the rightful abbot.

This probably means that the monastery had fallen into lay hands by that time. The most important remnant of the monaste...

On the outskirts of Limavady stands Sampson's Tower which was erected by public subscription in memory of Arthur Sampson who died in 1859. He was a former great agent for the landowners, the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.

Please phone Limavady TIC for further details as the property above is private....

The ruins of Kilmacduagh Monastic Settlement lie close to the border of counties Galway and Clare, on the eastern fringes of the Burren. because it is somewhat off the beaten track, it tends to be rather unjustly overlooked as one of the most interesting examples of early monastic architecture in the west of Ireland.

The monastery's most notable feature is the 11th/12th century Round Tower measuring 111ft to the tip of its cap. The tower is unusual in that it tilts, like its more famou...

The Round Tower, measuring 92 ft. in height is on the far side of the Cathedral from the Vicar's Choral and dates to the 12th century since it has a Romanesque doorway. Round Towers were used mainly as belfries but could also have been used as a place of refuge....

Clones Round Tower, High Cross and Church The round tower is 75 feet, with a square headed doors and windows. Nearby is a shrine known as "St. Tighernach's shrine," which is carved out of stone. The shrine is named after St. Tighernach who founded a monastery in Clones in the 6th century, which the tower, cross and church belonged.

The cross is in two parts which did not belong together originally. On one side are the sacrifice of Isaac, Daniel in the Lions' Den and Adam and Eve. On th...