Aghaviller Round Tower and Church

The tower and church of Aghaviller can be found a short drive from exit 10 of the M19.
Built from sandstone the tower is just over 9.5 meters in height.
The doorway is set 4 meters from ground level.
The tower rests on a square stone plinth which is a feature that can only be found at one other tower (the near by Kilree).
The ground level doorway is a much later addition, added for help in the installation of a bell.
Dating of the tower is unknown, but the site has close ties with St Brennain

The church is dated 12th Century but was greatly altered in the 15th Century when a
residential tower was added.
The top of the church can be accessed via a stairway.
Mass was celebrated at Aghaviller as recently as 2008.

Access - The site is located just off the R701 on a very bad bend.
The church is very visible from the road and parking can be found driving up the lane way to the site.
This is a quite and peaceful graveyard but the proximity of the dense forest to the site can make it a little unsettling at times.
Aghaviller is probably the least well known of Kilkenny's round towers but should be added to your itinerary along with the others.    

Devenish Island Monastic Settlement (damhinis island of oxen)

   
Located in the southern part of lough Erne is the stunning Devenish Island Monastic Settlement.

To say Devinish had been on my wish list for a long time would be a huge understatement.
Once I saw images of a complete round tower and the remains of another Devenish went to the top of my wish list.

So at the end of last summer and the start of a family holiday in Donegal (with a slight detour ) we found ourselves standing at the pier for the island. £10 for the Mulraney gang (outstanding value) and we were on our way.

The first thing that strikes you is how large the settlement is ( roughly 70 acres ) and apart from the round tower this site really has so much more to offer.

The Devenish Island monastic community was founded in the 6th century by Saint Molaise

Read more at: http://www.chooseireland.com/fermanagh/devenish-island-monastery/

//www.chooseireland.com/fermanagh/devenish-island-monastery/

roughly 70 acres

Read more at: http://www.chooseireland.com/fermanagh/devenish-island-monastery/

roughly 70 acres

Read more at: http://www.chooseireland.com/fermanagh/devenish-island-monastery/

Devenish was founded in the sixth century by Saint Molaise.
The Annals of Ulster record that in 836, “all the churches of Loch Erne, together with Cluain Eois and Daimhinis (Devenish Island) were destroyed by the gentiles (Vikings).” The monastery was rebuilt after these invasions.

The island was attacked again by the Vikings in 1157 and again in 1360.
The round tower is dated between these two attacks.
The five stories high round tower is an impressive 25 meters and can be climbed to the very top.
Located beside the tower is the base of a second round tower, information on this second tower is hard to come by. 

The site also has a 13th Century high cross that has some beautiful elaborate carvings.
Apart from the tower and high cross the site has a 15th Century Augustinian Priory of St Mary (second image).
The bottom image is of Teampull Mor, The Great Church which dates from the 13th Century.

Access - The Island is well signposted from Enniskillen, further information can be found Here. 

Drumcliff Round Tower

Drumcliff Round Tower, County Clare is one of two round towers in Ireland with the same name, the other can be found in County Sligo.

Not very much is known about the early monastery on this site but it is associated with St Conald (7th Century).
The tower which is featureless rises to 11 meters at its highest point.
This is a great pity as it is documented as having a door and three windows two centuries ago.

The church which is beside the tower is dated 15th Century, but incorporates parts of an earlier church which probably date back to the same time as the tower (10th Century).  

The tower is located in a graveyard which is only a short drive from the town of Ennis.
The most striking feature of the graveyard is the big number of large tombs dotted all around.

Access - parking is not a problem as the graveyard is still in use, from the road the walk to the tower is quite steep but a short one.    

The monastic settlement of Drumcliff located some 2km from Ennis dates back to the 7th century and its foundation is credited to St Conald - See more at: http://www.county-clare-i.com/drumcliff-round-tower.html#sthash.Nrku1Jn4.dpuf

The monastic settlement of Drumcliff located some 2km from Ennis dates back to the 7th century and its foundation is credited to St Conald - See more at: http://www.county-clare-i.com/drumcliff-round-tower.html#sthash.Nrku1Jn4.dpuf

 

 

Dysart O'Dea Round Tower and Church

The Round Tower and Church of  Dysart O'Dea dated 12th Century, can be found in a lovely setting just a short drive from Ennis Co Clare.

The round tower rises to over 14 and a half meters (at its highest point).
The doorway is 4.5 meters from the base and is arched with six blocks.
There are two slit windows at ground level (a patch up job ?), which give you a good view of the inside.

The stand out feature of the church is the Romanesque doorway.
There are 19 stones in this arch which are carved with twelve human heads and nine heads of animals. 
The present church stands on the site of an early Christian monastery founded by St. Tola in the 8th century.

The site also has a High Cross to the east of the church, which I was unable to photograph due to it being 'guarded' by a prize bull.


Access
The site is signposted from the R476 and from that you take a narrow road which brings you to the tower and church. 

Parking is not a problem.

Antrim Round Tower

The Round Tower and Bullaun Stone are impressive reminders of Antrim’s ancient monastic settlement. The tower is thought to have been built around the 10th century and it is known locally as The Steeple. It is 28 metres tall and is one of the finest of its kind in Ireland.

There is an unusual cross carved stone above the lintel and also eight simple flat headed windows. The monastic site was burned in 1147. The conical cap was reset after the tower was struck by lightening in 1819.

The large stone that can be seen to the left of the tower is known locally as "The Witch's Stone" the folklore is that of a witch who jumped from the summit of the Round Tower to express her dissatisfaction with its construction. She apparently landed on a large stone leaving in it the impression of her knee and elbow. And as a result to this day the rock is known as the "Witch's Stone".