Structure

The National Monuments Service's description

Located within the open space of Cianlea housing estate. This square, enigmatic building is of post medieval date with medieval insertions. It survives to one storey height (int. dims.9.70m N-S, 9.20m E-W, wall T 0.85m) and is built of coursed limestone blocks with dressed quoins. Entered through a plain doorway in E end of N wall. There is also a pointed arched doorway with pocked dressing and moulding on the jamb stones, inserted above ground level in the N wall. This formerly provided access to an attached range. The interior is lit by two, featureless windows with segmental arches on the S wall, two oblong windows on the W wall and a narrow window in the E wall with two windows at a lower level. High levels of mortar wash out which has led to destabilisation and minor collapse. Medieval insertions have been subject to graffiti. Now fenced off.

Known as Glassmore Abbey the site is located to the north-west of Swords. However the historical references to Glas Mar where St Cronan was killed by Viking raiders specifiy a 'desolate church to the south of Swords' (Stokes 1905). It was O'Donovan in the 19th century, on the basis of information given to him by a local man, who designated the site as that of Glasmore Abbey (1836). Test excavation (Licence no. 99E0536) was undertaken in advance of the surrounding housing estate development but nothing of archaeological significance was identified (Swan, 1999).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Date of upload: 03 January 2015

References

Stokes, W. 1905 The Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee. London.

Swan, R. 1999 Report on Archaeological Testing of site of Cianlea, Mooretown, Swords, Co. Dublin (Licence no. 99E0536). Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.