The Standing Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:04:00 +0000

Welcome to The Standing Stone...

The Long Stone, Co. Kildare.

Ireland has a rich and varied history, and this can be seen scattered across the land today. Every county has hundreds, if not thousands of places that point to its past. From ancient Neolithic tombs to modern fortified houses The Standing Stone brings you a closer look at the history that sits all around us.

For over 12 years we have travelled around Ireland to look at these historical sites, and present them to you here. There are over four-hundred places listed on The Standing Stone, and more being uploaded regularly.

In addition to our own posts we have several guest posts from a variety of archaeologists, historians, and professionals involved in Irish history and archaeology. There are also book reviews, and an extensive glossary.

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Wayside Cross, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:36:00 +0000

Location: Located in the middle of Freshford next to the large green on Brewery Street.

OS: S 40659 64725

Longitude: -7.3987684

Latitude: 52.732367

Description and History: Blink and you’ll miss it! Not much remains of this wayside cross, and it was only after I had looked it up later in the day that I realised it was anything at all, so I only took one photo of it, which is rare for me. Little remains of this cross, which now sits next to the town green. It was moved by Sir William Morres of Uppercourt c.1800 from its original location about 600m away to its present location. It was erected shortly after 1622 in memory of Lucas Shee by his wife Ellen Butler. It was described in 1835 as being in poor condition, vandalised but still containing part of an inscription asking passers-by to pray for the soul of Lucas Shee. This inscription is no longer legible. A small section of the cross shaft remains on a three tiered base.

Difficulty: Easy and right next to the green.

Date of Visit: 17th July, 2024.

For more sites in Co. Kilkenny, click here.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

Foulkscourt, Johnstown, Architectural Fragments, Co. Kilkenny.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:19:00 +0000

Location: The architectural fragments here are scattered over two sites in Johnstown. The first are at the modern Roman Catholic Church dedicated to St. Kieran, while the second are located at St. Mary’s Anglican Church located a short distance away.

St. Kieran’s Church:

OS: S 30093 66569

Longitude: -7.5550286

Latitude: 52.749628

St. Mary’s Church:

OS: S 30181 66355

Longitude: -7.5537368

Latitude: 52.747702

Description and History: These fragments are a real blink and you’ll miss them type situation, but when you take the time to go and look and explore, you’ll find there’s a lot going on here. It’s really worth taking the time to go and find all these bits and pieces, followed by a trip out to Grangefertagh (which I’ve yet to write about!). All of these medieval fragments were taken from the Augustinian Priory from nearby Fertagh (now Grangefertagh). This priory was founded in the 13th century, but largely destroyed by the 15th century, although later repaired. In the early 19th century large parts of the priory were dismantled and some of the windows, a doorway, a font and some sculpture were taken and built into the churches at Johnstown. Based on what has survived through this relocation we can surmise that the priory at Fertagh was quite ornate.

Starting at St. Kieran’s, there is a medieval crucifixion plaque embedded into the north wall of the graveyard. It is quite striking and unusual. Christ is depicted as emaciated, and his body is contorted so he twists to his right. Christ’s nose has been broken off at some point. It has been suggested this was part of a larger memorial dating to the later 16th century. It’s quite an unusual carving and is unnerving in that is conveys the suffering of crucifixion very well.

On the west wall of St. Kieran’s is a large tracery window, also taken from the priory at Fertagh, consisting of two ogee-headed lights with surrounding tracery. Ivy and vine leaves extend from the stops on either side. It has been filled with 19th century stained glass and has been blended into the building extremely well.

Inside the church is located an extremely well preserved medieval font and is certainly one of the more ornate examples I have ever seen. The font has 16 sides, with a different design on each face. I have photographed each face below. There are some floral designs, knot-work, a cross, a human face, and a tracery window, among other designs. It is extremely well preserved, and not being open to the elements will hopefully ensure it remains protected.

Moving on to St. Mary’s these fragments were taken a little earlier than those at St. Kieran’s and were taken in 1799. The west doorway of the church was taken from Fertagh Priory. The doorway has an ornate vine design with birds eating the grapes. On the north tower at the west end of the church, and close to the doorway is part of a carving of a bird, now placed upside down with its head missing. Lastly, the tracery window on the east end of the church was also taken from Fertagh. It’s the largest piece to be taken from Fertagh and has similar vine and ivy leaf design. The tracery is a little unbalanced, as has been noted before, giving the window an unusual appearance, but it is still impressive.

While I always think that architecture should be left at its original location, it is good to see these elements of the former priory of Fertagh still being used for their intended purpose. We will never know for sure, but it is certainly possible that if these fragments were not taken, they may well be lost to us today.

Difficulty: Easy to find and navigate.

Date of Visit: 17th January, 2026.

For more sites in Co. Kilkenny, click here.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

The unusual crucifixion plaque.

I am not sure if this was originally part of it.

St. Kieran's Catholic Church. The central window above the door is the medieval window.

The inside of the tracery window.

It is worth visiting for the modern stained glass alone.

The fantastic medieval font.

I particuarly like the tracery window designs.

St. Mary's Anglican Church.

The later inserted medieval doorway.

A carving of a bird that has been placed upside-down.

Jerpoint Abbey, Co. Kilkenny.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:44:00 +0000

Location – On the R448 near Thomastown.

OS: S 57222 40236

Longitude: -7.1578106

Latitude: 52.510805

Description and History – Jerpoint Abbey is one of the gems of monastic architecture in Ireland. With its array of medieval sculpture, surviving wall-paintings, and mixture of architectural styles it is easy to get overwhelmed, so I definitely recommend taking your time here.

Located close to the Little Arrigle River Jerpoint Abbey was possibly founded as early as 1158. It is recorded that Donal Mac Gillapatrick founded an abbey close to this location at this time, but it is not definitive that it is Jerpoint, although the presence of some Romanesque stonework here would support this early date. John, Lord of Ireland (the future King John) granted the abbey to the Cistercians in c.1185, although it already appears to have been in Cistercian hands as it became the daughter-house of Baltinglass in 1180. In 1184 Jerpoint colonised Kilcooley Abbey which had been founded by Dómhnall Mór Ua Briain two years previously. Jerpoint’s history over the next few centuries was plagued by scandals, both political and financial. In 1217 an abbot was deposed for this involvement in the instigation of a riot at Jerpoint which was part of a larger conflict between Norman and Irish abbots. Following this, in 1227, Jerpoint was taken from Baltinglass and became affiliated with Fountains in Yorkshire. The following year it was recorded that there were 36 monks and 50 lay brothers resident at Jerpoint. Little is recorded for the 14th century at Jerpoint, but in 1380 an act was enforced that no Irishman would be professed as a monk at Jerpoint. In the 15th century a scheme of major repairs and rebuilding works were carried out, beginning in 1442 when the abbey fell under the patronage of the Butlers. The square tower above the church was added at this time and cloister arcades were entirely rebuilt. It was surrendered during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540 and it was noted at the time that Jerpoint was in a poor state with the roof above the chancel destroyed, and it was recommended to destroy the cloister and any buildings not necessary for farming. It was granted to the Earl of Ormond in 1558.

Jerpoint conforms to the typical Cistercian monastery plan with a central cloister to the south of the church surrounded by the sacristy, chapterhouse, refectory, dorms, and kitchen. The buildings on the east side of the cloister survive in a good state, while those to the south and west are poorly preserved or completely destroyed. The church has a transept on the north and south sides, each with two side chapels, and wide aisles on either side of the nave. The chancel contains some of the oldest building work on the site with many of the capital stones here and in the aisles being in the Romanesque style indicating that the early founding date may be accurate. The window, however, is later inserted and could be 14th century in date, or possibly from the 15th century phase of repairs. The chancel contains the remains of medieval wall-paintings which have only been partially exposed in the last 50 years and show a possible galloping horse that would have formed part of a larger scene. Most of the church dates to c.1180 with the exception of the 15th century tower, and some of the carvings may have come from the Baltinglass Master. In the nave ornate capitals survive on some of the arches dividing the nave from the aisles, and the footings of a wall running north to south survives, which would have divided the monks from the lay brethren during worship. The cloister has been dated to c.1390-1400 and was partially rebuilt in 1953 and contains a fine collection of medieval sculpture, showing saints, knights, ladies, and creatures (photographed below). In the north transept can be found the effigial tomb of Felix O’Delany, Bishop of Ossory, who died in 1202. There is also the tomb of William, Bishop of Cork who died c.1266/7. This tomb is located in the chancel and the effigy is tonsured and holds a crozier. In the south transept are the unusual carvings of the ‘The Brethren’ – two late 13th century knights with swords of British-Viking style.

There are also two small museums on site, one in the visitor centre and one in the east range with plenty of fascinating sculpture on display. It is really worth spending time here and exploring every inch of the place.

Difficulty – Easy to get to and navigate and has its own carpark. This is an OPW managed site so there is a fee to enter and guided tours available. There are also toilet facilities.

Date of visit – 11th October, 2025.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

For more sites in Co. Kilkenny, click here.

The view as you approach from the carpark.

Main view of the church, looking to the east. You can see the cloisters on the left.

The west wall of the church.

The aisles.

The wonderful Romanesque designs intertwined with the Gothic arches.

Looking from the north to the south transept.

One of the O'Tunney tombs in the north transept.

St. Peter.

The two side-chapels of the north transept.

The fragments of wall-painting in the chancel.

Looking from the chancel down the length of the church.

The sedlilia.

The range of designs on the capitals is astonishing.

The Brethren.

Looking into the cloister.

Part of a cross.

St. Catherine.

Fragments of original floor tiles.

This ogham stone was found nearby Thomastown in 1969 in what is known locally as the monk's field. It was brought to Jerpoint in 2014. The inscription translates as 'of Fedelmid/Feidlimid descendant of Loígde grandson of Muinchú' and is dated to the first half of the 6th century.

Another St. Catherine.

St. Christopher.

Kells Priory. Co. Kilkenny.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:04:00 +0000

Location – Located immediately south of the King’s River about 400m east of Kells town on the L1023.

OS: S49804 43287

Longitude: -7.2666235

Latitude: 52.538949

Description and History – Kells Priory has long been on my list of places to visit. From the photographs I had seen it looked unique and different, and it did not disappoint. It has to be one of the largest monasteries in Ireland and it definitely requires time to manoeuvre around. There is some confusion as to the exact date of the Priory’s foundation by Geoffrey fitz Robert with dates ranging between 1183 and 1193. Geoffrey fitz Robert was granted the land for the Priory in 1192 by William Marshal making a later date more likely (Empey 2007). It is likely that the confusion arises from another church having been founded on the site in 1183 dedicated to St. Kieran, which itself was founded on the site of another earlier church. Fitz Robert was granted 40,000 acres of land and, in turn, granted 1700 acres to the new Priory, the church of which was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Fitz Henry brought Augustinian canons from Bodmin Priory in Cornwall to begin the Priory. One of these, Hugh de Rous, became the first Ango-Norman bishop of Ossory in 1202. The Priory, along with the town was burned by William de Bermingham in 1252 and was much devastated in the early 14th century during the Bruce invasion of 1317 and when it was sacked by the Fitzgeralds in 1327. A mere 20 years later the Black Death would rapidly spread across Europe and Ireland further weakening the Priory’s position, although it would later regain importance in the 15th century as the Priory became key to the town’s defence. The Priory fell out of use following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540 and the last prior was Nicholas Tobin. It was later granted to the Earl of Ormond and later to Margaret Fitzgerald, Countess of Ormond in 1603.

While the remaining structures are huge, they are poorly preserved. The main body of the church consists of the nave and chancel church, with a crossing tower, and an aisle on the north side, with an aisle in the north transept. The original portions of the church were finished no later than 1218. The aisle is likely to not be from the first phase of building and added to in the mid to late 13th century. Unusually the bell tower is not incorporated into the crossing tower, but is located at the west end of the nave instead. A Lady Chapel was added to the north of the cloister and is accessed from both the chancel and the north transept. The south transept is truncated and leads into the inner parlour or possibly a sacristy. From there is the chapter house on the east side, followed by the calefactory. Above this range of buildings would have been the dormitory. On the south east corner is the necessarium and the priory workshop. The south side range contains a series of store rooms and the refectory above along with the lavatorium. The west range again contains store rooms and an outer parlour. There appears to be no accommodation for lay brother unless this range has been misinterpreted. Most of the claustral buildings date to the second quarter of the 13th century. Beyond the south range is an unusually shaped courtyard leading to the infirmary range of buildings. On the west end of this courtyard were the kitchens, slightly apart from the refectory. Lastly at the far west end of the monastic precinct is a bake house or a brew house.

Slightly later in date the outer precinct, or ‘villa prioris’, was added with a series of impressive towers connected with large walls which served as residential towers. Also known as Burgess Court, it was constructed between 1460 and 1475. The area it covers was used for protection of tenants and cattle. A road ran through the middle of this which can still be partially seen, and a millstream ran along the north side of this area dividing it, along with a wall, from the monastic precinct. More explanations of the various buildings will be given in the captions for the photographs below.

This is a complex and important site that requires time to navigate and really take in. I think this is a place I will need to return to as it was only after visiting when preparing for this blog post that I really began to get a handle on what I was looking at.

Difficulty – There is a carpark and gated entrance leading in and it is fairly easy to navigate and is on a local walking loop meaning it is well visited.

Date of Visit – 11th October, 2025.

For more sites in Co. Kilkenny, click here.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

The first glimpse you get from the car park on the south of the site, looking towards the outer-precinct.

The first tower that you enounter on the way to the entrance.

The first glimpse of the priory as you round the first tower.

The impressive gate into the outer-precinct, with a large machicolation.

The inside view of the gate.

A small loop in the gate.

Part of the mill stream that divided the inner and outer-precincts. You can clearly see two different phases of building here as well as modern repointing work.

Looking along the north wall of the outer-precinct. The central tower in this wall has been subject to conservation works. It looks as though all the towers are slowly being conserved, and one is complete and another currently being worked upon. Several sections of the abbey also appear to have had repointing and works done, which is great to see.

Part of a small building that once formed part of the north wall of the outer-precinct.

Note the machicolation.

Part of former bread ovens.

Looking from the west at the main body of the abbey.

Part of the outer range of buildings at the abbey. You can clearly see a mural passage in the ruined tower.

Looking towards the domestic parts of the abbey, towards the refectory.

The infirmary hall and chapel at the rear.

The area before the tower is part of the kitchen block.

This area is a little puzzling and appears to be part of a courtyard seperating the main cloister from the infirmary. This appears to be some form of drain, perhaps.

I love little features like this where you can see the floors that the monks would have walked on for centuries.

Possible storage areas, or part of the refectory.

The entrance into the chapter house, second only in important to the church in a monastery.

This little block of rooms to the rear of the chapter house and dormitory was the necessarium (toilet).

Absolutely wonderful flooring.

In the aisled north transept.

Part of a effigial tomb that is very poorly preserved.

The remains of the female figure.

The male figure.

The Lady Chapel.

You can clearly see the outline of a blocked up lancet window, likely blocked with the adjoining tower was constructed in the later medieval period.

Looking from the chancel down the length of the church.

Looking into the north transept.

A badly worn carving of a head.

The cloisters - the hub of the monastic community.

Looking from the nave towards the chancel.

Holycross Abbey, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 22:47:00 +0000

Location - On the R660 in the middle of Holycross village next to a bend in the road on the west side of the River Suir.

OS: S 08974 54213

Longitude: -7.8681443

Latitude: 52.639343

Description and History – In the context of Irish monastic buildings Holycross Abbey is a significant set of structures. Not only has a large part of the monastery survived in relatively good condition, but the main body of the church, and several of the adjoining structures were restored, presenting us with a wonderful opportunity to get a much better sense of how these buildings would have looked in their prime.

The abbey was founded by Domnall Mór O’Brien in 1182 to house Cistercian monks. A charter was issued which granted the monastery with significant lands totalling approximately 8000 acres. This charter still exists and is housed in the National Library of Ireland. Charters were reissued following the Norman invasion of Ireland by King John, King Henry III, King Edward III, and King Richard II. It is possible that there was an earlier foundation here since 1169, although this has not been verified. The name Holycross derives from the relic of the true cross that was housed there. This fragment was given to Domnall’s great-grand-uncle, Muirchertach Ua Briain in 1110 by Pope Paschal II. In the early 15th century the abbey came under the patronage of the Butler family under James Butler, the 4th Earl of Ormond. He invested significant sums of money into the monastery resulting in much ornamentation being added at this time including the elaborate tracery windows, ribbed vaultings, and much sculpture inside the church. The ornate sedilia in the chancel was added at this time.

During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s the abbey was dissolved, and was held by Philip Percell of Loughmore Castle at that time. The Abbey was eventually granted back to the Butler family under the 10th Earl of Ormond, “Black” Tom Butler. Kilcooley Abbey and Athassel Priory were also granted to him at this time, and communities of monks were allowed to return, although much of the lands belonging to these abbeys were sold off. There is significant folklore surrounding Holycross, far too much to recount here, which was recorded by a Brother Malachy Harty in the mid-17th century in a manuscript entitled “The Glorious History of Holycross Abbey in Ireland.” It was also at Holycross that the last Cistercian monk in Ireland died in 1735, a local monk named Edmond Cormack. The Cistercians would return to Ireland, however, in the 19th century following Catholic emancipation. The structure began to deteriorate, and some initial works were carried out on the buildings in the early 19th century by Charles William Wall. The structure became one of Ireland’s first national monuments in 1869 and came under the care of the state until 1969 when special legislation was passed allowing the building to be restored and used once again as a place of worship. The project is one of the most significant restoration projects ever to have been undertaken in Ireland and really highlights the sheer will of the local people to see it restored. With no government funding the project was largely carried out by local craftsmen while maintaining historical authenticity. The project was finished and the church finally reopened as a place of worship in 1975.

While the initial foundation of the abbey was in the late-12th century it is a multi-phase structure with an array of works at different periods. The monastery conforms to a typical monastery layout with a large nave and chancel church, with a crossing tower with a transept on each side, each with two side chapels. The crossing tower, nave, transepts and side chapels all have elaborate 15th century rib-vaulting. The cloister had been partially rebuilt and sits on the south side of the church, with the chapter house and dormitory above on the east side of the cloister. The dormitory is connected to the south transept by a fine set of night stairs. The south range of buildings of the cloister have not survived, but were presumably the refectory, kitchens and lavatorium. The buildings on the west side of the transept appear to have been domestic buildings for lay brothers. To the east of the main abbey is a smaller range of buildings which was an infirmary and the abbot’s quarters or maybe a guesthouse. This likely had its own attached cloister at some point. While the basic layout and the church structure can be dated to the 12th and early 13th centuries, most of the finely carved stone, vaulting, windows, and bell tower all come from the 15th century phase of work. Many later medieval gravestones are now on the floor of the cloister arcade. Mason’s marks and all sorts of interesting carvings can be found throughout the structure. You really get a sense that you are seeing something historic and as it should be while walking through Holycross and it warrants repeat visits.

Difficulty – Really easy as it’s in the middle of a village with ample parking right at the entrance.

Date of visit – 26th August, 2025.

For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

View of the west end of the abbey.

The west end of the main church.

Passageway leading from outside the west of the abbey to the cloisters. The cloisters were connected to nearly all parts of the monastery.

Unusual piece on the west wall, although not original to the abbey, this came from somewhere in Dublin.

Extremely hard to discern, but this is the remains of a sheela-na-gig which appears to have been deliberately destroyed. It is located on the outer south wall of the monastery.

The cloisters.

The lay-bretheren accomodation on the west side of the cloisters.

Note the late medievel graveslabs.

Interesting ex-situ wall plaque showing the crucifixion and a crozier.

Part of the reconstructions containing one of the names of the carpenters who worked on the cloister arcades.

Really interesting doorway in the chapter house.

The infirmary.

View of the east part of the abbey.

The night stairs.

Some of the wonderful vaulting.

Side chapel in the south transept.

The 'Waking Bier of the Monks' where the relic of the true cross was originally on display.

The east window.

There is some fabulous modern stained glass here.

An elaborate mason's mark.

Surviving wall art.

A hunting scene.

The relic of the true cross.

The elaborate sedilia.

Kilcooley Abbey, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:01:00 +0000

Location – Close to Urlingford, and next to Gortnahoe, the abbey is located on the grounds of the Kilcooley estate.

OS: S 29045 57776

Longitude: -7.5713128

Latitude: 52.6700664

Description and History – This is a standout place. Of all the abbeys I have been to across the country, this one has to rank near the top of the list. The carvings alone are worth the trip to see before you even stand back to admire the structure. It is also an extremely confusing site because of its multiperiod nature, but with a little patience you can start to pick it apart. The foundation charter for the abbey dates to 1182 when Dómhnall Mór Ua Briain granted land for its construction. Two years later it became a daughter house of the Cistercian foundation at Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. It also carried the name of ‘monasterium de Arvi Campo’ meaning the ‘monastery of the arable plane’. The fifteenth century saw the abbey burned twice in 1418 and 1445 during attacks, which led to an almost total rebuilding by Philip O’Mulwanayn, although 12th and 13th century material does still survive. The abbey was dissolved in 1540 and surrendered by the abbot Thomas Shorthall. At that time the abbey is recorded as having c.700 acres of lands attached. Unusually, the 17th century saw monks returning to the abbey, and after the 1641 rebellion, it was briefly used as a novitiate for the Cistercian order before the order was dispossessed by Cromwellian forces in 1650. In the late 17th or early 18th century parts of the abbey were reused as a house for the Alexander family who had purchased the abbey from the Earl of Ormond. They converted the cloisters into gardens. When Kilcooley House was built in the late 18th century the abbey was largely abandoned, but in the 19th century a summer house and study were added to the abbey. It passed into the Barker family through marriage, and again to the Ponsonby family in the 19th century.

The present remains consist of a large church with nave and chancel containing surviving 12th and 13th century material. On the east and west side are two-bay transepts each with a chapel in the eastern bays of both. A small sacristy is located off the south transept. The night stair, located in the south transept, gives access to the accommodation level above, no longer accessible to the public. Also off limits now are the cloisters, due to structural problems in the west outer wall. The entrances into the cloister, however, are located in the nave, south transept and on the outer south wall of the cloister wall. The cloister is much altered as it was converted into gardens, as mentioned above. Original cloister arcades have been found and reconstructed, with one being repurposed to support a c15th century font in the north transept. This font has unusual decoration and is clearly intended to resemble rib and groin vaulting. The nave originally had aisles but was later blocked up reducing the size of the nave. This likely happened when the church was rebuilt in the 15th century. The transepts date to this period, as does the crossing tower, although parts of the nave the chancel remains original. The moulded doorways, traceried windows, rib vaulting, sedilia, and the elaborate screen wall all date to this period. It is the screen between the south transept and the sacristy that really stands out here. The carvings include St. Christopher carrying the infant Jesus, a crucifixion scene with Mary and John, and a mermaid with a comb and mirror. A fine effigial tomb is also located in the chancel on the north wall. It is the tomb of Pierce fitz Oge Butler who died in 1526. While the effigy belongs to the tomb, the two panels at the front do not, and likely came from the tombs in the south transept but are fine examples of O’Tunney school sculpture. The effigy shows a knight-like figure with face missing, and feet upon a curled-up dog – a symbol of loyalty.

Difficulty - It’s easy enough to find once you get into the Kilcooley estate. You can park at the nearby church, and it is a short walk from there.

Date of visit: 20th July, 2024.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

The dovecote is an interesting feature and were known as columbarium literally meaning a pigeon house. There are only about a dozen of these in Ireland with a certain medieval date. Pigeons were extremely sought after in medieval Ireland for their meat and eggs, manure, blood for medicines, and their down for cushion stuffing. While the pigeons themselves weren’t hugely expensive, keeping them was and dovecotes were generally found at monasteries or large residences. The dovecote at Kilcooley also served as a penitential prison.

Inside the dovecot you can still see parts of the cots for the doves.

Looking up at the top of the cot.

The view of the abbey as you walk across the field from the dovecot.

The traceried window in the east wall of the chancel is among the finest surviving examples in Ireland.

There are an array of really interesting windows here of different designs.

A small quatrefoil window.

The closed entrance into the cloisters.

Part of the later 18th century buildings added to the site.

Looking from the north transept to the south. Note the impressive vaulting.

Small piscina in a side chapel.

The springers of a now missing vault.

The impressive font. Note how the design resembles the vaulted ceilings.

A lovely little arrow head shaped mason mark.

Looking into the much altered former cloisters.

The night stairs which lead from the south transept to the upper dormitary levels. This stairs was used at night for the monks to attend prayers without having to go outside.

Looking from the chancel towards the nave.

Another piscina.

This little space is just off the south transept and may have been a sacristy. It has also been suggested by Roger Stalley that this was a private chapel for the Butler family. Given the Butler coats of arms on the entry way to this space, this is a good possibility.

The highly decorated screen wall between the south transept and the possible private chapel. The carvings on this wall are some of the best surviving gothic sculpture in Ireland.

The crucifiction with Mary and John, and St. Christopher with the infant Jesus on his shoulder.

John with his hand raised to his face in a sign of grief and sorrow.

A mermaid with a mirror, comb, and fish. The mirror and comb were commonly held by mermaids in medieval art and were symbols of vanity.

The vaulting in the south transept. Note the surviving plasterwork, which is likely not to be the original plaster, but a later addition.

The Butler effigial tomb.

St. Thomas.

St. Peter holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

St. Lachtain’s Church, Romanesque Doorway, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:43:00 +0000

Location – In the small town of Freshford on the R693.

OS: S 40709 64762.

Longitude: -7.3980220

Latitude: 52. 732691

Description and History – While St. Lachtain’s is in interesting multi-phase structure this will primarily focus on the 12th century Romanesque doorway. A monastic church was founded at the site in the late 6th or early 7th century by St. Lachtain, although no structures remain from this period. The present church contains elements possibly pre-1050 in date on its west gable, and the rest was largely rebuilt in the 18th and 19th century and still serves as a functioning Church of Ireland church today. It is also possible that some of the later rebuilding work reuses earlier stone, and some stones appear to be radial and may be from a now-demolished round tower. However, later inserted into the mid-11th century west gable is a fine Romanesque doorway which O’Keeffe has dated to somewhere been 1140 and 1150, favouring the latter end of that decade. Constructed of sandstone and some 3m wide, the doorway is multi-ordered and forms a porch into the church. The Romanesque oculus above the doorway is later inserted and likely 19th century in date.

One of the more interesting aspects of the church are the inscriptions on the inner order. The first reads, “A prayer for Gilla Mocholmoc O Cenncucain who made this.” The second reads, “A prayer for Niam, daughter of Corc, and for Mathgamain O Ciarmeic, under whose auspices this church was build.” Translation by O’Keeffe in Romanesque Ireland. It is unknown, however, who these people were.

On the inside order are niches for sculpture, one of which has survived and shows two figures. This would have been carved separately and slotted into place. The two middle orders contain scalloped capitals and the archways are decorated with saw-tooth chevron on the intrados and archivolt. The capital on the south side of the outer order appears to show a stylised lion, while the corresponding capital on the north side shows something similar, but is much more weathered. Above the arch, but below the rising pediment are two carved panels, with one showing an ecclesiastic, and the other a figure on a horse. The face on the keystone of the arch could possibly be a representation of Christ. O’Keeffe has noted similarities with both Killeshin in Laois, and Cormac’s Chapel in Tipperary. The former being later in date and the latter being earlier.

The porch is a fine example of the Romanesque style that flourished in Ireland in the early 12th century and considering the amount of remodelling that has been carried out at St. Lachtain’s church we are probably lucky that the door has survived in such good condition. It is well worth the trip to Freshford just to see this porch.

Difficulty – Easy to find and to get to as it’s a still a functioning church. Be careful as it’s right on the side of the road on a dangerous bend.

Date of Visit: 17th July, 2024.

For more sites in Co. Kilkenny, click here.

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The later inserted oculus.

Part of the inscription.

Stylised lion's head.

Possible head of Christ on the arch.

Possible second lion's head figure.

This little cross is isolated and is not aligned well. It could be a possible consecration mark, or perhaps carved later.

Statue niches.

Kilkenny

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:51:00 +0000

-Foulkscourt, Johnstown, Architectural Fragments.

-Jerpoint Abbey.

-Kells Priory.

-St. Lachtain's Church, Romanesque Doorway, Freshford.

-Wayside Cross, Freshford.

Back to 'Sites by County'.

Hook Lighthouse, Hook Head, Co. Wexford.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 17:22:00 +0000

Location – On the very south tip of Hook Head, at the very end of the R734.

OS: X 73364 97383

Longitude: -6.9294079

Latitude: 52.123795

Description and History – Hook Lighthouse is one those iconic Irish sites and it is not hard to see why. Perched on the very edge of the Hook Head looking out to sea, it is both dramatic and breath-taking. It is accessible by guided tour only, although the exterior can be viewed for free. However, I would recommend taking the guided tour and see the inside, and learning more about it. There is also a nice café on site which we thoroughly enjoyed. It’s a great family day out.

As to the lighthouse itself, there has been some form of lighthouse here since the 5th century when the monks of St. Dubhán’s Church nearby would keep a beacon continually lit to help guide nearby ships. The present lighthouse dates to the 13th century and was built under the orders of William Marshall and with the now Augustinian monks of St. Dubhán’s still looking after the light. William had survived a shipwreck off the coast of Wexford which likely influenced his decision to improve the beacon. The suggested dates given to the tower’s construction are c.1210-1230. Twelve acres of land were put aside for the monks who looked after the lighthouse. The construction dates of the lighthouse bring up an interesting question – is Hook Lighthouse the oldest continually used lighthouse in the world? Hook Lighthouse would argue that yes, they are. We took an excellent tour of the lighthouse and this claim was repeatedly made. However, the Tower of Hercules in Spain also makes that claim. The Tower of Hercules is a Roman lighthouse and was originally constructed in 2nd century AD. However, it was largely rebuilt in the 18th century while preserving the original Roman core. The tower was also heightened at this time by some 21 metres. I cannot remember the exact reason from the tour as to why they considered Hook to be older, but I imagine it was because of this rebuilding and reconstruction. While parts of the Tower of Hercules is from the 2nd century, much is 18th century in date while Hook is largely unaltered. Therefore, an argument could be made that Hook is the oldest still operating lighthouse in the world. You can make your own minds up on this, it really depends on your perspective.

While the lighthouse is described as continually used since the 12th century, there has been one known break in usage. In the Down Survey of Hook parish it is described as a former lighthouse and is known to have been out of use since at least 1641. However, this interruption was short-lived and it was reused from 1671 when Robert Readinge upgraded the light to coal in a brazier, encased in glass. It was later owned by Henry Loftus of Loftus Hall in 1688. In 1791, the lamp was upgraded again to one of 12 lamps fuelled by whale oil. Finally, in 1867, the lighthouse was handed over to the Commissioners of Irish Lights who still operate it. They changed the fuel to gas, and later paraffin. In 1972 the lighthouse went electric, and became fully automated in 1996.

The tower is modelled after a Norman castle keep, and later medieval drawings show that it was originally crenelated. It stands, today, to a height of 24.7m and it 12.3m in diameter with the walls a staggering 3.7m thick at the base, narrowing to 2.7m at the top. There are three groin-vaulted floors internally, with an external base batter, and mural stairs throughout. The lower floor is still black from centuries of coal storage. There is evidence of several garderobes, but these have been altered and blocked up in places.

Hook Lighthouse is well worth the journey and taking the time to explore. The tour is fantastic, and if you combine it with visiting some of the other historical sites nearby it makes for a great day out.

Difficulty – Good parking and facilities on site. It can be very windy here to wrap up, especially in the winter months.

Date of Visit – 3rd November, 2022.

For more sites in Co. Wexford, click here.

The groin-vaulted ceiling.

The views from the top are spectacular.

The medieval cobbled floor.

Some of the medieval outhouses survive.

Wexford

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 16:52:00 +0000

-Hook Lighhouse

Back to Sites by County.

Monasteranenagh Abbey (Manister an Aonaigh), Monaster South, Co. Limerick.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 22:04:00 +0000

Location – Monasteranenagh Abbey is located roughly 4km east of Croom, on the banks of the River Camoge near the R516 in the townland of Monaster South. Part of the abbey is in a field next to the road, while the main body of the abbey is located another field in. The co-ordinates below are taken from the main abbey.

OS: R 55046 40782

Longitude: -8.6630014

Latitude: 52.516857

Description and History – While what remains today is impressive, it was clearly a much larger abbey in its day. The abbey was founded in 1148 by the King of Thomand, Turlough O’Brien, and was founded as a Cistercian daughter-house to Mellifont, and dedicated to St. Maria de Magio. Although founded as an abbey it was the backdrop for resistance against the Anglo-Norman invasion, likely due to its close connection to the O’Briens. In 1228 the abbey was partially fortified against the Anglo-Normans, and in 1370 Monasternenagh was the site of a battle between the O’Briens of Thomond, aided by the Mac Con Maras, and Anglo-Norman forces commanded by the Earl of Desmond, Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald. While the exact location of the battle is unclear it appears to have been centred around Monasteranenagh. It was a victory for the O’Briens who then went on to sack Limerick city. Records show that the monastery was heavily in debt, and in 1302 it owed £209.6.8 to Ricardi of Lucca. The abbey was eventually suppressed in 1539-40. It was once again the scene of further bloodshed when it was the location of a battle during the Desmond Rebellion, when 40 monks are said to have been slaughtered by Sir Nicholas Malby, although the veracity of this story is debatable considering the abbey had been suppressed some 40 years previously. Some activity did continue, however, at the site as later modifications show. Many of the outbuildings were demolished in 1807 by a Mr. White of Mainster, who used the material for other building projects.

As you approach the abbey from the road you will first meet a small ruin which is listed as a church, but is possibly a guesthouse for the abbey. Little remains of this structure and it sits next to small burial ground for unbaptised children. It is surrounded by a post-1700 wall, and measures approximately 25m x 6m. It has also been used a graveyard for local people into the 20th century. While the main abbey is still impressive, huge sections of it have been completely destroyed, and not visible above the surface. The church was constructed between 1170 and 1220, along with the remaining chapterhouse, and represent some of the earliest Gothic architecture in Ireland. The church originally had three side-chapels in each transept, but these have been destroyed. The nave was aisled with large arches on either side, and lancet windows can be seen throughout. Decorated stone remains in-situ including foliated capitals carved in sandstone. The cloister, along with other now missing buildings, can be seen on aerial photographs.

Despite much of the building being destroyed it still feels imposing, and must have been impressive in its day. It is definitely well worth exploring, and spending time here to get a sense of the structure.

Difficulty – It is a little tricky being so far in from the road, and weather can influence the accessibility being so close to the river. Bring wellies, and be careful of electrified fences and cattle. As always, seek permission from the landowner.

Date of Visit – 25th April, 2010.

For more sites in Co. Limerick, click here.

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The remaining wall of the possible guest-house as you enter the site.

Note the mix of modern graves and markers for unbaptised children.

The surrounding wall is modern.

From the guest-house you begin to approach the main abbey from the north-west.

Originally an internal wall, the missing sections would have formed an aisle in the main church.

You can see where the wall once extended from.

Inside the church.

The sudden use of sandstone on the pillar and remains of the arch really stands out.

I can't make head nor tail of this!

There are all sorts of interesting capital stones here. Many of them are in different styles, which would support a multi-phase development of the site. Some have been partially covered by later building works, and poke out of gaps here and there. It makes me wonder what is still completely covered over.

The remaining south aisle.

From the east.

A more modern vault at the site.

The east gable of the chapter-house.

Viewed from the chapter-house.

Parts of ruined walls are dotted around the site, part of now-destroyed buildings.

The chapter-house.

The Market Cross, Glendalough. Co. Wicklow.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:09:00 +0000

Location – In the main visitor’s centre at Glendalough.

Description and History – The first thing that struck me about this granite cross was its size. It is tiny compared with other high-crosses of its age. It has all the ornamentation you would expect of a high-cross, but on a much smaller scale. It measures only 1.7m in height. Its name, the market cross, is thought to come from the idea that this cross originally marked the site of a market at Glendalough located near the gateway to the site, although there is no archaeological evidence that it was ever actually placed here. Christiaan Corlett has speculated that it may have originally been located nearer the Cathedral.

The head of the cross shows the crucified Christ in high relief, his head tilted to one side, and set against an interlace pattern. There is a circular hole in Christ’s chest, and there are others on the cross as well. These might have been to facilitate the addition of removable elements during religious festivals at certain times of the year. Underneath the crucifixion is a depiction of an ecclesiastic, possibly St. Kevin. Corlett has postulated that it could also be a depiction of a 12th century ecclesiastic called Lorcán Ua Tuathain who spent his inheritance on building works at Glendalough. The two figures on the base of the cross could possibly be his parents. On the sides of the cross are interlace animal and floral patterns in Urnes style.

It is now located inside the main visitor’s centre at Glendalough, protected from any further weathering. It is well displayed and well illuminated.

Difficulty – East to find and easily accessible. There is a small entrance fee into the visitor’s centre.

Date of visit - 27th July 2023.

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Cahir Castle, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 23:31:00 +0000

Location – On Castle Street in the centre of Cahir, on the banks of the River Suir.

OS: S 05027 24742

Longitude: -7.9269013

Latitude: 52.374525

Description and History – The present remains of Cahir Castle are situated on a natural rocky island in the River Suir. Like several Norman build castles in Ireland it is built on an earlier Irish fortification called Cathair Dhún Iascaigh. It is possible that this fortification was once the seat of the Kings of Munster before the arrival of Christianity and the seat was moved to the Rock of Cashel. However, there is little evidence for this. Cahir was in the hands of the O’Briens of Thomond in the later 12th century during the Norman invasion of Ireland it was granted to Philip of Worcester who is probably responsible for the early phases of the castle’s building in the early 13th century. Through marriage the castle briefly came into the hands of the de Berminghams. During the Gaelic resurgence in the 14th century, infighting amongst the Normans led to the castle falling back into the hands of the O’Briens and town was burned by them in 1332. The area was regained in the later 14th century and it was then granted to James, the third Earl of Ormond in 1375. It was the Butlers of the 15th and 16th centuries that were responsible for the majority of the castle’s construction. In 1596 the Baron Cahir, Thomas Butler, joined the rebellion of Hugh O’Neill against the crown and against his relative the Earl of Ormond. The castle was besieged and taken by the Earl of Essex in 1599. Thomas escaped and recaptured the castle the following year, and eventually received a full pardon for his part in the rebellion in 1601, likely due to the influence of his relative the Earl of Ormond. During the Irish Confederate Wars the castle was taken by Murrough O’Brien the Lord Inchuquin, in 1647 before the Sack of Cashel. In 1650 the castle was taken bloodlessly by Oliver Cromwell, who offered one chance for surrender before attack. It was, therefore, spared destruction which happened to so many other castles at this time. Following the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II it was returned to the Butlers. The Butlers remained at Cahir until the late 18th century when it was mentioned that the castle was falling into ruin. Much work was done to the castle between 1840-1846 by Richard Butler who had inherited the castle. He sought to restore it and employed architect William Tinsley to carry out the work. The castle was finally taken into state care in 1964 when the hall of the castle was still in use.

The first phase of the castle’s construction, likely by Philip of Worcester, consisted of the old gatehouse, the hall, and the walls of the inner ward area. This incorporated parts of the older Irish fortification. Towers and several modifications were made in the 15th and 16th centuries and much of the present remains date to this period. The castle would have been approached across the river, and through a barbican gate. This section was almost completely rebuilt in the 19th century moving the doorway from its original location. The circular tower over the bridge was added in the 15th or 16th century, and square tower still has a cannon ball embedded in it from the siege of 1599. The outer ward walls date to the 16th century, and were repaired in the 19th century. The cottage in the outer ward is a 19th century addition. The present gateway into the inner ward is a 16th century addition, possible reusing stone from the original 13th century gateway which was then blocked. The 13th century gatehouse, which was the main accommodation on the site and protects the inner ward, is very well preserved, and has a projecting 16th century square tower at one end. In the north-east tower of the inner ward there is a small basement prison. The lower portions of the tower are 13th century in date, while the upper portions are likely 15th century in date. The well tower appears to be a 16th century addition where visitors can climb up to the top of today. The large tower in the north-west of the inner ward was added to the site of the 13th century hall in the late 15th century. This was used for accommodation on the upper floors, and entertaining smaller groups away from the hall on the lower floor. A garderobe survives on the first floor. The hall has very few 13th century features remaining, and may have been partially wooden, in keeping with most halls at this time. Most of the hall was rebuilt in the 19th century.

The castle is one of the best preserved in Ireland, and gives a good overview of how castles would be changed to suit the ever changing political situation in Ireland.

Difficulty – Open to the public, but there are many narrow steps throughout and might be difficult for people with mobility issues.

Date of Visit – 14th August, 2023.

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For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

The cannon ball stuck in the wall.

Inner gatehouse.

Spot the other cannon ball.

The garderobe! Looks like you'd get a chilly bum!

The mechanisms for the reconstructed drawbridge.

A machicolation.

Reefert Church, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 21:53:00 +0000

Location – Hidden from view in the trees on the south side of the Upper Lake at Glendalough. There is a path that leads to it.

OS: T 11011 96087

Longitude: -6.3468522

Latitude: 53.004242

Description and History – It took me four visits to Glendalough to actually make it to Reefert Church. On all the other visits the priority was elsewhere, or we simply ran out of time. However, it was worth the wait as this is a lovely little spot and I had it all to myself. It is not far from the Upper Lake, which was absolutely packed out, but it is up a little path and hidden away in the trees and not visible from below, so it gets overlooked.

The name Reefert is unusual and comes from the Irish ríogh fheart, meaning ‘royal cemetery.’ However, this generally means a secular burial ground of pre-Christian origin. This would indicate that this site was long in use before the advent of Christianity in Ireland in the 5th century and the Christianisation of Glendalough by St. Kevin. Traditionally Reefert is believed to have been the burial ground of the chiefs of the O’Tooles who ruled in this area. This could well have been their burial ground before a church was built here. The early 12th century church that is located on the site now is the not the first to have been built here, and the doorway in the western wall reuses stone from this older foundation, and has a large lintel and inclining jambs, typical of earlier churches. The church is of a simple nave and chancel design and was one of the first of type to have been built in Ireland. It is constructed of granite, undecorated, and a little short of 9m long and just over 5m wide at its widest. Internally it was lit with small round-headed windows throughout. External brackets show where the roof was carried.

The graveyard is just as impressive as the church and contains many grave-markers from the 12th century and earlier. Several cross-slabs were found here which are now housed in the visitors’ centre. Several plain crosses remain in-situ, while one is decorated on its head with an interlace pattern. These plain crosses could have been stations for pilgrims. It has been speculated that the graveyard continued from its use as burial ground for chiefs, and was later used for important ecclesiastics. Part of the altar from Reefert survives, and is now located inside St. Kevin’s Church.

Difficulty – Once you know where it is, it is easy to find. You have to follow a gravel path for a short distance and ascend several steps to get into the graveyard.

Date of Visit – 27th July 2023.

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The cross with the interlace pattern.

One of the corbels that would hold up the roof from the outside.

Looking from the east.

One of the main plain crosses in the graveyard.

The nave.

Looking into the chancel.

A slab decorated with what looks like a cross, with a border.

St. Dominic's Abbey, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 23:54:00 +0000

Location – In the centre of Cashel in a housing estate on Dominic Street. Note that this is closed to the public, but can be viewed from outside.

OS: S 07655 40711

Longitude: -7.8879435

Latitude: 52.518020

Description and History - Sitting in the shadow of the Rock of Cashel, Dominic’s Abbey is in stark contrast with the modern residential buildings that surround it. Founded in 1243 by the Archbishop of Cashel, David MacKelly, St. Dominic’s Abbey was the home to Dominican friars for several hundred years. The original structure consisted of a simple nave and chancel church, with an aisle and transept being added around 1270. It was in this period that the Dominican friars of Ireland held their general chapters in 1289 and 1307. The building was largely destroyed by fire in 1480, and subsequently rebuilt by Archbishop John Cantwell. It was at this time that the bell tower was added to the remains of the original fire damaged structure. The windows were altered at this time as well, with the original gothic lancet windows being filled in, and replaced with fine examples of tracery style windows, in the east and west walls, and in the south transept. Lancet windows remain visible on the north wall of the abbey, while the base of 9 lancet windows can still be seen in the south wall of the chancel area. At the time of its rebuilding it was said that Dominic’s Abbey was the most beautiful Dominican building in Ireland. However, the structure only remained in use for another 60 years as it was eventually surrendered to Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1540s. The building was later granted to Walter Fleming, a merchant of Cashel.

Within the structure today the remains of niche tombs can be seen embedded into the north wall of the chancel, while in the north wall of the nave the remains of two carved figures can be seen. One is a small figure, possibly a representation of the infant Jesus, while the other appears to the head of a larger effigy, possibly part of a series of effigies belonging to the Hackett family. Four complete effigies are situated in the graveyard of the nearby St. John the Baptist’s graveyard, and a partial effigy sits in the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral at the Rock of Cashel.

Near the entrance on the west wall of the church is the remains of a sarcophagus. A sarcophagus was generally carved from a single block of stone with a lid placed on top. It is likely that an effigy, possibly one of the examples that survive in Cashel today, once sat on top. Sarcophagi are relatively rare in Ireland with only 17 known examples, 3 of which are located in Cashel.

While the building was largely abandoned following the dissolution of the monasteries, the Dominicans retained a small presence in Cashel up until the 19th century, when the last Dominican Prior of Cashel, Father John Conway died in Cashel around 1866.

Along with the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey, St. Dominic’s Abbey serves as a reminder of Cashel’s rich medieval heritage.

Difficulty – Easy to find and get to, parking is right outside.

Date of visit – Various dated between 2020 and 2023.

For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

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Looking at the west end of the abbey.

Note the blocked up lancet windows and the later inserted tracery windows.

Looking along the north side.

The south side, looking towards the transept.

The beautiful tracery window of the transept. You can see here how close the modern buildings encroach.

The outside of the chancel.

You can just make out a modern red-brick dovecote inserted into the wall of the transept.

Looking from the west wall.

Looking to the inside of the west wall.

Inside of the north wall.

Looking through to the chancel.

The bell-tower.

This doorway was partially blocked when the transept was added to the original structure.

Doorway leading to the now destroyed spiral steps that led upto the bell-tower.

The remaining steps.

Looking out of an entrance/exit on the north side of the abbey.

Looking at the inside of the entrance on the west end.

The transept.

The remains of the lancet windows.

The piscina.

The chancel.

The base of a pillar of an archway which was part of an aisle.

A medieval cross-slab.

The remains of a sarcophagus. There are only 17 known sarcophagi in Ireland and three of them are located in Cashel.

Probably part of a tomb, now embedded into the wall.

A fragment of sculpture, probably showing an infant Christ.

Part of an effigy depicting a woman, possibly one of the Hackett effigies.

Bauraglanna, Stone Circle, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 22:39:00 +0000

Location – This stone circle is quite difficult to find and I would recommend bringing an Ordnance Survey map with you. Take the R499 west from Silvermines and take a left onto the L2110. A few kilometres along take a right down a small road leading through forested land. About 4km along here you will see an old abandoned cottage on the right hand side next to an overgrown trackway. Park here and walk 300m up the trackway. There is a fence on the left leading into a field. From here walk diagonally to the right and you should find the circle.

OS: R 83821 67801 (map 59)

Longitude: -8.2404138

Latitude: 52.761291

Description and History – This stone circle, while small, was absolutely fantastic to visit. It’s hard to get to, but that makes the reward of finally getting to it so special, and the views from here of Slievekimalta (Keeper Hill) are spectacular. On the 1840 Ordnance Survey map the circle is referred to as “Firbreaga.” The circle is comprised of about 11 standing stones, although there are clearly a few missing now, so the true number could be about 15. The circle is 12.5m in diameter and the tallest is about 1.9m high while some of the stones barely protrude above ground level. There is a recumbent stone in the centre of the stone circle. Anthony Weir of Irish Megaliths has speculated that the tall stone forms a line through the circle towards a notch in the hill. I wonder if this could be a possible solar or lunar alignment. It would be interesting to investigate this possibility. Ó Nualláin (1987) has speculated that there may have been a double row of stones here as several stones are located 60cm to 1m further out from the main circle. There are also two outlying stones 3m away from the circle, which may be outliers or possibly stones that had been removed at some point from the main circle. Some of the smaller stones definitely appear to have been broken off and were likely taller originally.

Difficulty – This is a tricky one to find and get to. You will need a certain level of fitness and I would recommend going in good weather as it does get very boggy here after rain. Remember that this is on private land.

Date of Visit – 19th June, 2010

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The overgrown track up to the stone circle.

Looking across the field where the stone circle is.

You can see some of the taller stones here. Some are not visible above the level of the grass.

The largest stone of the circle.

Ballinlough, Standing Stone, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 12:27:00 +0000

Location – About 3km south-east of Toomyvara in isolated farmland.

OS: R 99298 74741 (map 59)

Longitude: -8.0111461

Latitude: 52.823904

Description and History – This standing stone now sits as part of a modern field boundary, next to two large modern farm buildings at the edge of a field. In the summer months it can be quite overgrown. The area is quite isolated and mountainous. The stone is 2.3m high and is orientated NE-SW. It is known locally as the ‘Long Stone’. There is folklore attached to the stone that it is one of the Devil’s teeth. This is connected to the legend of the Devilsbit Mountain, not located that far away. The legend says that the Devil, in trying to elude St. Patrick, transformed into a giant and took a bite out of the top of a mountain and in doing so broke his teeth which fell out of his mouth. This stone, in folklore, is one of those teeth. The bite the Devil took according to the legend is now the Rock of Cashel.

This is a nice standing stone, which forms part of a much larger ancient landscape, and it is sat to see it neglected and just part of a field boundary. There is a ring-barrow in the field opposite and two are likely connected. I didn't realise there was a barrow there at the time and never photographed it.

Difficulty – While the area is isolated the stone is easy to find and is right on the side of the road. There is ample space to park a car.

Date of Visit – 19th June, 2010.

For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

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Hore Abbey, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 11:13:00 +0000

Location – Just off the R505 directly to the west of the Rock of Cashel and clearly visible from there.

OS: S 06965 40786

Longitude: -7.8981078

Latitude: 52.518702

Description and History – Hore Abbey, otherwise known as St. Mary’s Abbey of the Rock, sits in a low field to the west of the Rock of Cashel. The name ‘Hore’ likely derives from the Irish word for Yew Tree, Iubhair, although other origins have been suggested including deriving from the term a ‘hoar frost’ or even from an old word for grey because of the colour of the monks’ robes. While it was constructed in the latter half of the 13th century there is significant folklore attached to its founding. Folklore says that it was originally a Benedictine monastery, but that the Archbishop David MacCarwell had nightmares that the monks were plotting against him and intended to behead him. He then removed the Benedictines from Cashel and replaced them with Cistercians. While the story is certainly apocryphal it is an interesting insight into how the politics and society of the day can be misinterpreted. MacCarwell’s expulsion of the Benedictines from Cashel seems to have caused some resentment in the town, particularly from the Anglo-Norman residents of the town, as MacCarwell favoured the Irish and gave generous endowments to the abbey including lands, mills, and even gave two flagons of ale to the monastery from every brewing in the staggering 38 breweries in Cashel. This all came at the expense of the Anglo-Norman residents of the town and caused significant resentment, and was considered an unnecessary interference by the archbishop.

Hore Abbey was founded around the year 1270 as the last Cistercian foundation in Ireland and was connected to Mellifont in Louth. What remains today is a mixture of 13th and 15th century material. The original layout of the church can still be seen, although a wall was added in the 15th century to significantly shorten the nave, and the rest was turned into accommodation, which can be seen from the added fireplaces. This likely happened due to decreased population levels following the Black Death, coupled with an increase in people entering the church as monks. The crossing tower was added in the 15th century, and has fine rib-vaulting, with several intricate mason’s marks still visible. The original 13th century church consisted of a nave and chancel, with transepts, and aisles. The sacristy and chapter house also survive, with a bullaun stone having been inserted into the top of a wall in the chapter house. The cloister, unusually on the north of the site, also survives in the form of wall footings, with one reconstructed arch. Inside the church are the remains of the altar, and partially blocked lancet windows. The piscina and sedilia are still intact.

The site was abandoned during the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, although part remained in use as a parish church, and other areas were reused as houses, although little physical evidence for this survives. Hore Abbey gives a fascinating insight into the changing society and needs of the people around Cashel between the 13th and 16th centuries, and is worth exploring at length.

Difficulty – Easy to find and to get to. There is ample road space to pull in and park, and it is a short walk across the field. It can get muddy during wet weather and cattle are often kept in the field where the abbey sits.

Date of visit: Various dates between 2010 and 2022.

For more sites in Co. Tipperary, click here.

For more ecclesiastical sites, click here.

With the Rock of Cashel in the background.

The Rock of Cashel as viewed from Hore Abbey.

Moving into the cloister.

The west gable end of the original nave from the outside. Note the large buttresses.

Many parts have a large base batter.

The east gable end of the church.

The cloister.

The reconstructed arcade in the cloister.

Inside what was originally the nave. The wall in the centre of the frame was added in the 15th century when the nave shorted and turned into accomodation. You can see where the arches leading into the aisle was blocked up.

Looking from the nave into the chancel.

Looking from the chancel into the nave.

Looking up at the fine rib-vaulting under the crossing tower.

The piscina.

The south aisle.

A small side chapel.

The chapter house.

This is my favourite part of the whole site. This is the base of a doorway leading into a transept on the south side of the site. You can see where the door has been open and closed to many times it eroded the stone away. How many times monks open and closed this door is amazing to me. It also shows to me that the door scrapped on the stone quite a lot, and nobody ever fixed it.

This plaster outline can be found in the chancel, possible the outline for some artwork that no longer survives.

Knotwork mason marks on the arch of the crossing tower.

A 19th century ordnance survey benchmark, otherwise known as a crow's foot.

A decorative pattern located in the cloister area.

Some of the many initials carved around the site.

This little carving of a monk's face can be found on the entrance into the nave from the cloister area.

This bullaun stone is located high up on the chapter house wall. Not its original location, I would guess it was placed here for safekeeping sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. I generally associate bullaun stones with early Christian sites so it could be possible that this was brought from somewhere else.

The Hall of the Vicar’s Choral, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:36:00 +0000

Location – This building is now home to the main reception, and is the first building that people will encounter when visiting the site.

OS: S 07468 40901

Longitude: -7.8906968

Latitude: 52.519730

Description and History – The Hall of the Vicar’s Choral is contemporary with the tower house and can also be attributed to the Archbishop Richard O’Hedian in the early 15th century. It was constructed as a residence for the eight members of the Vicar’s Choral who would sing the mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The eight members would be made up of lay men and clerics. The building is long and the bedrock protrudes through parts of the floor in places. It may have been constructed in two phases with the upper west portion preceding the lower east portion by a few years. The east section was a two storey dormitory. The upper level is now used as an audio-visual theatre, but eight niches and eight ogee headed windows can be seen, presumably showing the sleeping arrangements. In the west section, now a reception area and museum, there is a vaulted undercroft, presumably used for storage, while the large reception space was possible some form of domestic area, maybe a kitchen. Two rooms upstairs have been restored. The larger of the two rooms was possibly some form of chamber for the Vicar’s Choral, although it is now decorated more as a castle’s hall than the chambers of a choir. A large fireplace sits on the south wall with the original Latin inscription still in situ. It reads ‘E.S. ET E.H. ME FIERI FE[CERUNT]’ which translates as ‘E.S. and E.H. had me made’. The E.S. and the E.H. may refer to members of the Sall and Hackett families, who were prominent in Cashel at this time. The whole building had fallen into a ruined state, and a modern caretakers house had been built within the walls, but this was demolished the building restored in the late 1970s and finishing in 1982.

Interestingly, a Sheela-na-Gig is located on the E gable. It is high up and hard to spot, and was one of at least three located in Cashel.

Difficulty – Easy as it’s the first building people encounter at the Rock of Cashel.

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Spot the Sheela-na-Gig. Hard to see, but it is on its side in the centre of the photo.

Inside the restored area.

The restored ceiling.

Large recreation of the seal of the Vicar's Choral. Small metal versions of this would be used to buy items in the town, before fraud due to copies saw the Vicar's being paid a salary instead.

As part of the restoration new stained glass windows were put in. Four of the windows depict the evangelists and their symbols.

Restored kitchen area.

A mason's mark beside the fireplace.

Depictions of St. Matthew and St. John in their symbolic form, housed in the undercroft.

St. Mark and St. Luke.

There are several other pieces of interesting stonework in the museum.

Late 13th or early 14th century sarcophagus with partial effigy on top. This was originally located in the the vaults underneath the now demolished Franciscan Friary and probably belonged to the Hackett Family. Several other effigies belonging to the Hackett family are located in Cashel.

Recreation of the Cashel Crozier which was produced in Limogues, France, in the 13th century. The original is on display in the National Museum.

Recreation of the Cashel Bell.

The Archbishop’s Residence, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:35:00 +0000

Location – At the west end of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, attached to the nave.

OS: S 07456 40941

Longitude: -7.8908631

Latitude: 52.520092

Description and History – The tower house is unusual in that it has been built onto the end of the Cathedral. It is possible, from the north side, to see where it joins on. Stalley has suggested that the west wall of the nave had collapsed prior to the construction of the tower house as the joining line is not straight. Sometimes referred to as the Archbishop’s Palace, it was constructed early in the 15th century by Archbishop Richard O’Hedian (1406-1440) and although it’s often credited as being his residence, it is unlikely that he resided here often. It seems unsuited for the needs of an archbishop, and lacks a garderobe. He likely had a more elaborate place to live elsewhere, but maybe he used this when it was convenient, or perhaps it was more of an administrative centre. Interestingly in 1421 during parliamentary sessions O’Hedian was accused John Geese, the bishop of Waterford and Lismore of hating the English, counterfeiting the King’s seal, and wishing to be the King of Munster. Geese also reveals that O’Hedian gave his concubine a ring that had been on a statue of St. Patrick. This is interesting as it would explain some of the building choices that O’Hedian took at the Rock of Cashel, adding a castle, and battlements on the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral. It would certainly fit the profile of a man who desired to be king. Could it be possible that O’Hedian was trying to make the Rock his ‘castle’? Given the building boom of tower houses across Ireland at this time, O’Hedian, in seeing himself as a king-like figure would not have wanted to be left behind in this regard.

The tower consists of five storeys, and is roughly 10m x 5m in diameter. It is constructed of limestone and would have had a parapet surround the top, although most of this is now missing. A surviving barrel vaults sits over the first floor level, and a series of mural staircases connect the floors, and mural passages provide access to the cathedral. Remains of a traceried window can be seen at second floor level, and old drawings show others that are now missing. Much of the south side of the tower house collapsed in a storm in 1848, and some the stone later found its way to St. Bernard’s Cathedral in Watertown, Wisconsin.

While tower houses were common in Ireland in the 15th and 16th century this is an unusual example in being attached to a Cathedral. The lack of garderobes suggest this was not intended to be a dwelling place, but its exact purpose remains elusive.

Difficulty – Access to the tower house is prohibited, but can be easily viewed from the outside.

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As seen from the south.

From the west.

From the north.

The east wall of the tower house as viewed from inside St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The entrance into the tower house from St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Fallen masonry from the 1848 storm.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:33:00 +0000

Location – On the summit of the Rock of Cashel.

OS: S 07479 40940

Longitude: -7.8905292

Latitude: 52.520083

Description and History – St. Patrick’s Cathedral, like Cormac’s Chapel, is a fantastic example of its style, but with its own unique idiosyncrasies. Built in the Gothic style, St. Patrick’s was not the first cathedral build at the Rock of Cashel. There was undoubtedly some form of church or cathedral constructed when the round tower was built in c1101. It was likely located at the east end of the site with the western door of this structure aligned with the door of the round tower, which was a common layout at the time. There may also have been a second cathedral constructed in 1169 and commissioned by Donal Mór O’Brien. No traces of this structure survive.

The present cathedral was begun around 1135, possibly at the hands of the archbishop Marianus O’Brien, although David MacKelly has also been suggested who also founded Dominic’s Friary in Cashel. The building was not, however, finished until the 1280s during the time of David McCarvill who served as archbishop between 1254 and 1289. The reason for this long construction period is unclear, but was likely due to financial issues. The Cathedral was, therefore, built in a series of phases beginning with the choir/chancel area, followed by the south transept and porch, and then the nave and north transept.

Architecturally St. Patrick’s Cathedral is built in the Gothic style which grew out of the Romanesque style in France and England in the late 12th century and was originally known as ‘French work’. Just as the Romanesque style was characterised by rounded archways, the Gothic style was characterised by its pointed archways which were better suited for supporting the weight of the walls above. Barrel vaults gave way to rib and groin vaults, and windows became larger and more elaborate in their use of tracery (the dividing up of a window opening into sections), which allowed for the introduction of stained glass. Gothic architecture sought height and light in contrast to the squatter and darker Romanesque style. At the Rock of Cashel this is plainly evident where the two styles sit side-by-side to each other in the form of Cormac’s Chapel and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is cruciform in shape, and is divided into the nave (where the congregation would have sat), the choir and chancel (where mass would be said), and two transepts which contain several side chapels. Where all these sections meet is called the crossing. The crossing is formed by four elaborate 13th century pillars which rise to a plain ribbed vault. This vault was severely damaged during the attack in 1647 when the original bells were removed from the 15th century bell tower above. It was largely reconstructed in 1875.

There are two entrances into the Cathedral. The entrance on the south side has a porch with a well preserved groin vault. The corresponding porch on the north side no longer survives.

The nave is unusually short, the choir unusually long. Normally the nave is the longest part of a church or cathedral. It’s short length here may be due to the lack of building space at the Rock of the Cashel as the land slopes away sharply to the west. The nave may have also been shortened when the residential tower was constructed in the early 15th century. In the nave today there are two tomb niches. On the internal north wall is a tomb belonging to the Sall family who were important local merchants. The tomb dates to 1574, and shows a rare example of a merchant’s seal below the Sall coat of arms. On the south side is located a 17th tomb belonging to the O’Kearney family. It is decorated with ornate stucco plasterwork, showing a crucifixion scene, a coat of arms, and a centrepiece with four angels, the sun, moon and stars.

The choir, or chancel, is where the high altar was located. There was also an area for the choir to sing. Most of this area would have been screened off from the view of those in the nave as was custom at the time. Three tall lancet style windows would have lit the chancel on the East wall, but these have not survived. However, smaller lancet windows have survived on the south and north walls. In the chancel area, a piscina can still be seen. The piscina was a stone basin for the washing of sacred vessels. Next to this is a sedilia where celebrants sat at points during mass.

A series of grave slabs, not in their original location, are on the floor of the chancel, dating from the late 13th up until the 19th century. These are the grave slabs, clerics, merchants, and townspeople. Also located within the chancel are the wall tombs of two archbishops. The first is the elaborate tomb of the Archbishop Miler McGrath, mentioned earlier, and the second is of his successor Archbishop Malcolm Hamilton.

Each transept contains three large lancet style windows which were shortened in the 15th century. Passages run through the base of the pillars forming the windows and connect to spiral stairs which run to the top of the bell tower. There is an intricate series of passages and stairs which run throughout the Cathedral, hidden within the thickness of the walls. There are two side chapels in each transept which are now home to some well-preserved remains of 16th century tomb sculpture showing saints, angels, coats of arms, and a crucifixion panel.

Between the two side chapels in the south transept, is the remains of a large medieval wall painting depicting the crucifixion. St. Paul is depicted on Christ’s left holding a sword, while St. Peter is on Christ’s right holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Mary and John, smaller and almost completely lost, stand under the arms of the cross. While much of the painting is now lost to us, it was likely painted in the early 15th century, and gives us a small glimpse as to what the Cathedral was like at the time – a place full of art and colour.

Throughout the Cathedral, both inside and out, are a series of carved heads. Both male and female, they show a range of facial expressions and could have been benefactors of the church or important local people.

Incorporated into the Cathedral is a rock cut stone well which is over 8m deep. It pre-dates the Cathedral and may be the only visible trace of the pre-ecclesiastical phase of the Rock of Cashel which began in 1101.

Difficulty – This is the largest building at the Rock of Cashel and is easy to navigate.

Back to the Rock of Cashel main menu.

The porched south entrance.

The east end of the cathedral.

Loops on an external portion of the bell tower.

St. Patrick's Well. This predates the Cathedral, but was incorporated into the structure in the 13th century.

Inside the porch.

The piscina.

The sedilia.

There are many interesting capital stones throughout the cathedral, both in limestone and sandstone.

There is a fine collection of grave-markers at the east end of the Cathedral ranging in date from the late 13th to the 19th century.

Although it only shows a pair of feet and the bottom of a cloak, stylistically this can be dated to the late 13th or early 14th century.

The tomb of the early 17th Anglican Archbishop, Malcolm Hamilton.

The tomb of Archbishop Miler McGrath, archbishop from 1570 until 1622, when he died aged 100.

It is possible that the effigy may come from the tomb of Archbishop Butler who lived about a century before McGrath.

The coat of arms of Archbishop McGrath.

Wall plaque dating to 1607.

The Sall tomb, dating to 1574.

17th century stucco plasterwork on the Kearney tomb showing angels, sun, moon, and stars.

There is a good collection of 16th century tomb carvings at the Rock of Cashel.

Early 15th century wall painting depicting the crucifixion.

Cormac’s Chapel, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:32:00 +0000

Location – On the south-east side of the site, with St. Patrick’s Cathedral butted up against it.

OS: S 07492 40926

Longitude: -7.8903361

Latitude: 52.519950

Description and History – Cormac’s Chapel is a unique structure and there isn’t really anything to compare it to in Ireland. It is Ireland’s only fully intact Hiberno-Romanesque structure. It is also one of the earliest Romanesque structures in Ireland and was built between 1127 and 1134 and was commissioned by the King of Munster, Cormac McCarthy. It is unusual to have such specific dates for the construction of a medieval building, but Cormac’s Chapel is mentioned in several medieval texts which indicate how important the building was when it was constructed. It represents a departure in Irish ecclesiastical architecture away from the plainer style of previous centuries to the more highly decorated Romanesque. The sandstone façade is adorned with blind arcades, string courses, grotesques, and a distinctively Irish high-pitched stone roof. The south portal that greets visitors has three orders decorated with chevron design, and a tympanum over the entrance. The tympanum is decorated with what is believed to be the ox of St. Luke.

The north portal is now hidden from view as St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built across it. It can be accessed, however, from the inside. This would have originally been the main entrance and is much more elaborate. This door has five orders, hood moulding, and a well preserved tympanum. The tympanum shows a lion (possibly associated with St. Mark) and a centaur figure with a bow and arrow and also a helmet in the Norman style. Considering that this was carved nearly 40 years prior to the Norman invasion of Ireland it brings up some interesting possibilities, the most likely of which is that Norman stone masons worked on the chapel. Some commentators have noted the similarities between Cormac’s Chapel and the English Romanesque style. To the left of the north portal is a recessed area which was likely to be a tomb, and possibly the tomb of Cormac McCarthy himself. It was opened in the 18th century and no human remains were found, which begs the question of whether Cormac was every interred here. The chapel is rather small and measures about 15m in length and about 5m wide, although it is wider where the towers stand.

Internally the entrances lead into the nave which is barrel vaulted. The western end has been altered by the construction of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the 13th century and the original windows have been long blocked up. There is also some significant damage to the blockwork on this wall as a hole was opened up in 1875 to allow for the relocation of the sarcophagus which sits against this wall. The ribs on the vault are supported in pillars with elaborate capital stones. Some of the capitals are decorated with various patterns, while others are decorated with faces with elaborate hair styles, facial hair and some have their tongues sticking out.

Moving towards the chancel we meet the entrances to the two towers. The south tower is accessed through a plain doorway leading a spiral stairs, often held to the oldest surviving spiral steps in Ireland. This leads up to a second floor level under the roof space. The north tower has a much more elaborate entrance with chevron design and decorated capitals. A later 17th century limestone doorway has been inserted here, presumably as part of a repair. The tower is empty, although traces of paintwork can still be seen. This was clearly an important part of the chapel, as indicated by its grand entrance, and there has been speculation as to its purpose. An interesting possibility, proposed by Patrick Gleeson, is that this tower housed the inauguration stone of the Kings of Munster. This is entirely possible. The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster and Cormac McCarthy was descended from the tradition ruling family – the Eoganacht. Cormac McCarthy was making a statement of power by building his royal chapel after his family’s 150 year absence from the Rock, and what better statement than to house the place where his ancestors were inaugurated in a grand Romanesque chapel. This is a fascinating possibility.

The nave and chancel are divided by an elaborate chancel arch, finely decorated, and feature an array of human faces. It has been suggested that these represent the peoples of the world, but I would suggest that they could represent the past Kings of Munster – it would certainly fit in with the theme of kingship that is present throughout the chapel. An intriguing aspect of the chancel arch is that it is notably off centre. Several theories have been suggested for this from it being a deliberate mistake to show that only God is perfect, to it being a mistake where builders constructed the wall on the wrong side of a guideline. The former idea has no other precedence in Irish architecture and medieval builders certainly had no qualms with trying to obtain perfection, and the latter idea seems odd in that it is hard to imagine the builders of the chapel making such a huge mistake and not noticing until it was too late to change it. The most likely scenario is that it serves some form of functional purpose, probably to draw attention to, or direct people to the all-important north tower.

The small chancel is rib-vaulted and contains remains of fresco paintings, the only of their kind in Ireland. The four quadrants of the ceiling contain scenes from the infancy narrative of Christ, with the Magi before Herod being the best preserved. The adoration of the shepherds is identifiable due to an inscription which reads ‘PASTORES’ – the Latin word for shepherd. The north quadrant is the hardest to identify, but it is likely another scene from the infancy narrative. The east quadrant likely depicted the adoration of the Christ child and the fragments that remains are consistent with this. A depiction of the baptism of Christ can be seen on the south wall of the chancel, and several other figures can be made out on the walls. Geometric patterns can be seen in places also. The fragments that remain are not original to the chapel. The original paintings can still be made out on the lower portions of the walls and consist of patterns and fabric designs. The painted scenes higher up date to the late 1160s or early 1170s and can be associated with King Henry II who entered Ireland in 1171 and convened a Synod at Cashel. These were likely painted to commemorate that occasion. Again this fits in with the theme of kingship. If Henry was attempting to legitimise his rule in Ireland then he would have undoubtedly visited the inauguration place of the Kings of Munster and left his mark in the form of paintings which convey a message of divinely ordained kingship. The fact that a similar arrangement of frescoes appear in Henry’s personal chapel in St. Julien’s Petit-Quevilly, near Rouen in France only serves to confirm this.

Returning to the west wall of the nave an elaborate sarcophagus carved in Urnes style can be seen. This is not original to the chapel, but dates to a similar period, and it has been suggested that this was the resting place of Tadgh McCarthy, Cormac’s older brother and predecessor. The lid is now missing, but the soakage holes can still be seen inside. The front is ornately carved with two intertwining animals (possibly dogs) forming an infinity symbol, surrounded by intertwining serpents. The fact that the sides are undecorated indicate that this was intended to be placed into a niche of some form. What sets apart sarcophagi from other forms of tombs is that these were carved from a single block of stone. There are only 17 known examples in Ireland and this is the oldest, and the only Irish made one. The other 16 examples are all 13th/14th century in date and associated with Anglo-Norman families.

The building has been subject to several periods of conservation work. In 1875 after the building was taken into state care the first works began. A significant amount of repairs were done to the east gable end and new stone can be seen here in keeping with the original design. A significant amount of concrete was used at this time which has the effect of diverting water inside the building as the concrete started to wear away. In 2009 a long period of conservation began, and the concrete removed. The building was covered in a scaffold for several years to allow the building to dry out. Ultraviolet lights were installed to kill off the mould growth, and a ventilation system connected to moisture sensors also installed. As part of the conservation work the roof was entirely removed and fresh mortar (a recreation of 12th century mortar) was used when the roof was reassembled. Broken roof slabs were pinned back together, and a certain amount of replacement stone used also. It was reopened to the public, by guided tour only to reduce moisture in the building, in 2017.

Overall, the chapel is one of the most significant and unique buildings in the history of Irish architecture. It is also a building that raises so many questions. Several areas do not match, carves patterns abruptly end and change, some areas look unfinished, and arches are different sizes throughout. There is no hypothesis that adequately explains this, and we are left with unanswered questions. It remains one of the most compelling buildings in Ireland.

Difficulty – Easy to find. Access is by guided tour only.

Back to the Rock of Cashel main menu.

Looking at the east end of the Chapel.

Some of the conservation work from 1875 can be seen here that restored part of the east wall.

The top of the north tower.

The top of the south tower.

The south entrance.

The south doorway is made up of three orders. Chevron designs surround a tympanum which likely depicts the ox of St. Luke.

The base of the outer order of the south doorway which would have originally supported a, now missing, pillar.

Blind arcades.

One of the many grotesques that span the façade.

The north doorway.

The fantastically preserved north tympanum.

Close up of the centaur figure with the Norman style helmet.

The entrance into the south tower.

The elaborate doorway into the north tower.

Heads on the chancel arch.

The ceiling of the chancel.

The best preserved section is the western quadrant which depicts the meeting of the Magi with King Herod.

The east wall.

The Baptism of Christ.

One of many haloed figures in the chapel.

Some of the many grotesques and human heads carved around the chapel.

The sarcophagus predates the chapel is thought to date from the early 1120s and is likely the tomb of Tadgh McCarthy, the brother of Cormac and his predecessor as king. It is carved in Urnes style. Its original location is unknown, but was relocated to the chapel in 1875. A part of wall had to be removed to allows to be brought inside.

Soakage holes, which allow for the escape of fluids and gasses during decomposition.

St. Patrick’s Cross, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:31:00 +0000

Location – St. Patrick’s Cross is located in the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral. A replica sits outside between the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

OS: S 07477 40901

Longitude: -7.8905667

Latitude: 52.519732

Description and History – The 12th century St. Patrick’s Cross is on display in the under-croft of the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral. A replica sits where it was once was between the Hall of the Vicar’s Choral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In the chronology of Irish high crosses, it comes late and is part of a group known as crucifix crosses – crosses dominated by large Christ figures, and often a cleric as well. The inclusion of clerics on these crosses likely reflects the church reforms of the 12th century, which saw the organisational structure of the church become more clearly defined.

St. Patrick’s Cross is unusual in that it is not a typical Celtic cross with its distinctive ring around the intersections of the shaft and transom – rather it is a Latin style cross. What has often been interpreted as a vertical stone support connects the arm to the base of the cross. There is a compelling argument that this is not a support at all but, when complete, these ‘supports’ actually formed a frame around the Christ figure that was inspired by examples found in illuminated manuscripts and metalwork. Therefore, the ‘supports’ are artistic in nature and serve no structural purpose.

Jesus is carved in high relief in a full ankle length robe, marking a departure from the more typical loincloth. St. Patrick is carved on the east face of the cross, his head missing and standing on an ox-head. The base, although weathered, is highly decorated with interlacing animals, and possibly a labyrinth with a minotaur at its centre on the north side. Interestingly, there is a small rectangular hole in one of the upper limbs of the cross which could have allowed for attachments to the cross in the form of angelic figures or evangelist symbols.

The cross is now extremely weathered and the Christ figure, while visible, lacks detail. There is a rectangular shape on Christ’s chest, which could possibly be a representation of a book or book shrine, held around the neck by a strap, in a fashion similar to pilgrims.

When considering St. Patrick’s Cross it is important to consider its influences. The depiction of Christ is less biblically inspired, but indebted to European artistic trends of the early 12th century. A sculpture from Lucca in Italy appears to be its main influence – this sculpture was supposedly carved by Nicodemus. The cross became famous across Europe at the time and copies found their way across the entire continent. Noted earlier, the possible labyrinth and minotaur becomes more likely when it is considered that the only other known labyrinth and minotaur in medieval Christian art was also found in Lucca.

The full-length depiction of Christ is at odds with earlier Irish high crosses, where he is often relatively small in size. Gone are the biblical scenes of earlier high crosses – the emphasis now on the crucifixion and church authority. Jesus is not portrayed as the suffering Christ, but rather as the triumphant Christ, victorious in death. The portrayal of Jesus on St. Patrick’s Cross is reminiscent of Dysert O’Dea, the Tuam Cross, and the Market Cross at Glendalough.

St. Patrick’s Cross may have also influenced later Irish depictions of the crucifixion. A 14th century shrine known as Fiacal Phádraig (St. Patrick’s Tooth) from Killaspugbrone, Co. Sligo, shows some similarities to Cashel. It was commissioned by William DeBermingham, Lord of Athenry, around 1376, to house St. Patrick’s tooth which was alleged to have fallen out at Killaspugbrone. The cross depicted on this shrine is similar to St. Patrick’s Cross in that is has the distinctive lateral supports (or borders). While the figure of Christ is significantly different, the inclusion of a similar looking cross, and the connection to St. Patrick makes a connection between the two possible.

For more on the cross, and other depictions of the crucifixion at the Rock of Cashel click here for my article in Heritage Ireland Magazine.

Difficulty – The replica is highly visible on site. The original remains inaccessible at present.

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The original cross, located in the undercroft of the Hall of the Vicar's Choral.

The replica. This side shows the crucifixion.

This side shows a cleric, possibly St. Patrick.

The Round Tower, Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

noreply@blogger.com (The Standing Stone) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:29:00 +0000

Location – On the north-east of the site, against the north-east corner of the transept in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

OS: S 07490 40961

Longitude: -7.8903709

Latitude: 52.520265

Description and History – The round tower is the oldest surviving building at the Rock of Cashel and was build c.1101 after the site was handed over to the church by Muircheartach Ua Briain as “…a gift to religion.” It is one of only a handful still standing to full height in Ireland, and is 28m high. The doorway is 3.28m off ground level and faces south-east, and probably faced the west entrance of a now lost church or cathedral that stood in the vicinity of the eastern end of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The doorway is 1.65m high and only 74cm wide. The tower in constructed of a mixture of sandstone and limestone, and was restored in 1875 by the Board of Public Works (later the OPW), with the conical cap being reset, and the tower being repointed at this time. When St. Patrick’s Cathedral was constructed in the 13th century a second entrance was added which connects to a mural passage in the cathedral, and this can only be seen from within the later mural passage. Three windows give light to the interior, and originally there would have been a series of floors, connected by ladders, which would have zig-zagged their way up to the top where there are four windows facing to the cardinal points. In 1841 the interior of the tower was excavated, and about 2ft of loose and earth and human bone were found. Early in 1965 the tower was struck by lightning, making a large hole on its west side which was subsequently repaired.

Difficulty – Easy to find, as it is the tallest building on site.

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Looking from the north.