Old Kilcullen Round Tower

The Old Kilcullen monastic site dates back to the 5th Century.
St Patrick founded the monastery and placed it in the care of St MacTail (Died 548).

The site was attacked by Vikings in 736 and again in 944.

The round tower is thought to date back to the 11th Century.
The tower is close to 11 meters in height, with the round headed doorway close to 2 meters from ground level.
A drawing from 1792 shows the tower in a more complete state.
Old Kilcullen's tower was reduced to its present state in the 1798 rebellion.

The site also has the very small remains of a Romanesque church (dated later than the tower).
Sadly all that remains of the church today is the base walls.

Old Kilcullen also boasts the shaft's of two high crosses,  the shaft closest to the tower has some lovely detail the other taller shaft at the back of the graveyard is very worn and I could not make out any details.
The site also has the base of another high cross.

The setting and location for Old Kilcullen could not be better, quite and peaceful with stunning views of the surrounding Kildare countryside.

Access - The site is signposted and a short drive from the N78, parking can be found beside the site leaving you a short walk up an avenue to the graveyard.

Kildare Round Tower

Kildare Round Tower rises to an impressive 32 meters in height.
The tower was constructed from Wicklow granite and local limestone.
This tower is from the 12th Century and is said to have been built on the ruins of an earlier tower.

The doorway is without doubt the standout feature of the tower.
It is 4.5m from ground level and has the remains of some Romanesque motifs.
The tower (which is the second highest in Ireland) can be climbed in the summer for a small charge.

The grounds also contain St Brigid's Cathedral, a High Cross and the remains of St Brigid's Fire Temple.
Opening times for the tower are  May to Sept 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, Sunday is just 2pm to 5pm.

Taghadoe Round Tower

Taghadoe Round tower (which may have never been completed) is close to 20 meters in height.
The tower is built from rough coursed limestone, it has three windows with the doorway 3.5 meters from ground level. 
The monastery of which the tower is the sole remnant was founded by an obscure saint named Tua who was attached to the nearby monastery of Clane.
Little is known of the history of the monastery except that one of its abbots - named Folachtach, died in 765.
The church beside the Round Tower was built in 1831.
The tower is visible from the R406 as you travel towards Maynooth from the Barberstown direction.
The turn for Taghadoe ( L5037 ) is well marked, you will find the site on a very bad bend so take care parking.   

Carrick Castle

The striking ruin of Carrick Castle (sometimes referred to as Carrickoris Castle) is most famous for the horrific medieval murders of 1306.

Sir Pearce Bermingham built an earlier castle on this site and it was he who perpetrated the grizzly murders  on the family of Murtough O’Conor Faly, King of Offaly.
All the details of the background and the murders themselves can be found in this great post by Dr Charles Mount .

What remains today of the castle is just two walls ( the south and east ones ), these look to be for the best part still at their full height.

To find Carrick Castle take the R401 from Edenderry heading north the ruin is in the next field beside Carrick graveyard.

Parking is tricky as the castle is located on a bad bend. You will have no trouble at all spotting the ruin.

Moone High Cross

Moone High Cross is Ireland's second tallest high cross, it can be found a short drive from the post office in  Moone Co Kildare.
The cross is over 5 meters high, made of granite it is dated back to the 8th Century.
The head and base of the cross were discovered in the graveyard of the abbey in 1835, the cross was initially put together with these two sections.
In 1893 the missing middle section was found, and soon after the cross was re erected complete.
The cross features finely crafted Celtic designs, the biblical scenes cover scenes like Daniel in the lions den  the loaves and fishes miracle and the twelve apostles (bottom image).   
The site also has fragments of other high crosses (with some very nice details) displayed close to the main cross.
The church which now provides cover and protection for the high cross is 13th century.

Castledermot Round Tower

Castledermot is one of Ireland's more unusual round towers, the stone work and much altered top gives this tower the look of a giant turret.

The tower dated 10th Century stands to a height of 20 meters, the doorway is at ground level and cannot be seen as it now connects the tower with the modern church via a passageway.

The history of the site:-
St Dermot founded a monastery here which was plundered by the Vikings in 841 and again in 867.
Cormac Mac Cuilleannain the famous scholar, King and Bishop of Cashel was buried here after his head had been cut off in battle in 908.

The monastery was plundered in 1048, and the last known abbot of the monastery died in 1073.
Along with the tower this site has a Romanesque archway (bottom image), two high crosses (with the base of a third) and the only known hogback stone in Ireland.

With so much to offer, I would hope to share more of this site in the future.     

Broadleas Stone Circle

Broadleas Stone Circle is for me the total stand out circle of the few that can be found in Leinster.
The circle is located only a short drive from Athgreany Stone Circle
The circle has 39 stones in total.  A walk around the circle will leave you in no doubt that other stones are missing.
The width of the circle is close to 30 meters, with the biggest of the boulder stones standing at approximately 1 meter in height.
I have no doubt what helps make this site so special for me is the trees Ash, Holly and Blackthorn.
These for me all help make this circle pretty close to perfect.
Broadleas can be found just off the R411 as you travel from Ballymore Eustace to Hollywood.
The site is easiest to spot coming from the Hollywood direction.

   

Carbury Castle

This striking ruin sits over looking the village of Carbury.
The original castle may have been built in the 14th Century by the de Bermingham family.
The four chimney stacks are believed to have been added in the 17th Century along with some large mullioned windows.
The outer walls still stand strong, but if you go inside the ruin be careful as the inside is not so sturdy.
To the south of the castle is a graveyard, which has one wall of a church and a Mausoleum belonging to the Colley family who carried out all the later work on the castle.

Oughterard Round Tower

The Round Tower is over 10 meters high and has a narrow round-headed doorway.
The site is said to date back to an old monastery which was founded here in the 6th century.
The Church which is beside the tower is said to have been built in 1609, but may be earlier.
It has an intact east window and partially preserved barrel-vaulting.
This is a great site with a graveyard that is kept superb all year round.
Oughterard is located only a short drive from the N7, parking is not great I parked on the road beside the graveyard.