Historic town

The National Monuments Service's description

The town of Rosscarbery occupies site of monastery founded by St Fachtna of Molana c. 600 AD, raided by Norsemen in 990 (Gwynn and Hadcock, 1988, 96); principal monastery of Corca Loigde and famous for its school, later chosen as see of Ross diocese, (C of I cathedral (3247) at E end of town) (Killanin and Duignan 1962, 412). According to Lewis (1837, Vol. 2, 534) 'a town gradually rose around the monastery, which Hanmer describes as a walled city'. Smith (1750, Vol. 2, 407) describes a souterrain (2181) near the cathedral, otherwise no visible trace of Early Christian settlement. One of several episcopal centres in Ireland tentatively identified as pre-Norman ecclesiastical towns (Graham 1988, 28).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

References

Killanin, M.M. and Duignan, M.V. 1962 Shell Guide to Ireland. London. Ebury Press.

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.

Graham, B.J. 1988a The definition and classification of medieval Irish towns. Irish Geography 21, 20-32.

Smith, C. 1750 (New Edition 1815) The ancient and present state of the County and City of Cork, 2 vols. Cork. Guy and Co. Ltd.