Round tower

The National Monuments Service's description

Partial remains of Early Christian round tower (H of original surviving fabric c. 3m; base diam. 5.2m) that has been heightened when incorporated into the W end of the 13th century Collegiate Church of Kilmallock dedicated to SS Peter and Paul (LI047-022009-). Round tower associated with Early Christian monastery of Kilmallock founded by St Mocheallóg (Ceall Mocheallóg), son of Tolodhrán, whose feastday fell on the 26th of March (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 39; Ó Riain 2011, 462). Present remains of round tower described by Lalor (1999, 181-3) as follows; ‘Its identity is so completely subsumed into the fabric of the later buildings that, without examples from elsewhere, it would probably be passed without comment. Only the bottom dozen courses can be said to represent the masonry of the tower; what stands above it is late medieval, although it is possible that some of the upper masonry conceals the core of the earlier wall. The masonry of the tower's superstructure, like the adjacent walls of the church, has putlock holes (absent in the original portion of the Round Tower), and the general aspect of the rebuilding, in a number of periods, is extremely dramatic in its profile and roofline’.

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 3 December 2021

References

Lalor, B. 1999 The Irish round tower. Wilton, Cork. Collins Press.

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.