round towers
- This topic has 18 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 8 months ago by
.
- Posts
On 27 July, 2005, An Post issued a set of four stamps in the Ireland series, depicting Round Towers. 2005 is the 75th anniversary of the National Monuments Act, and to commemorate this it is only natural that the Round Towers of Ireland should feature as part of the Ireland Series. Round towers were bell towers and are associated with early Irish ecclesiastical settlements. They were constructed between the tenth and twelfth centuries. Other than a small number of isolated examples in Scotland and the Isle of Man – built under Irish influence – round towers are found only in Ireland.
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow
This is one of the best known of the Irish round towers and is 30.5m (99 Feet) high. It was built around AD1100 as the belfry of this monastic settlement, founded by Saint Kevin. Its conical cap was rebuilt in 1876, when it came into State care.Kilmacduagh, Co. Galway
The tallest surviving tower in Ireland, standing at 34.3m (112 feet), it dates back to the eleventh century. The tower is of limestone construction and leans markedly to one side, the result of being built with shallow foundations above graves.Clones, Co. Monaghan
This appears to be one of the oldest surviving round towers and could date from as early as the late tenth century. The conical cap and part of the top storey are missing. As a result its present height is 23m (75 feet).Ardmore, Co. Waterford
This is one of the latest towers to have been built and is in the Romanesque style of the mid twelfth century. It is faced with finely cut rectangular blocks of sandstone and has three string courses around its circumference. It was the belfry of this ecclesiastical site founded by Saint Declan.The stamps and first day cover were illustrated by Michael Craig.
Some others from Archiseek.com
Glendalough
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/wicklow/glendalough/roundtower_lge.htmlClondalkin
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/clondalkin/round_tower_lge.htmlCertain lack of variety there to use a series in this way,
To commemorate the Act with one of the most commonly reproduced design elements used for “Auld Ireland” and one reproduced ad nauseam until the recent past, hardly seems either comprehensive or inclusive to me.
Does it tell us something?
It seems a pity not to have included on the stamps a picture of the tallest round tower in Ireland on Scattery Island, off Kilrush in Co. Clare.
One of the unique aspects of the tower is the fact that the door is on the ground floor.
Scattery Island is a very impressive place. It has 7 churches; a couple of which are cathedrals, it has a deserted village, round tower, light house, napoleonic battery. It is about a 30 minute boat ride from either Capagh or Kilrush Creek marina and well worth the trip. You can also see the island on the way from the Killimer car ferry to Kilrush just after Moneypoint power station.
The monastic settlement was founded by St. Senan. A impressive bell shrine from the island is on display be National Musuem (Leinster House campus). An actual bell (I don’t think it is the one from the shrine as it is only a few inches high) and a few other artifacts are on display in the British Musuem in London.
See attached for a couple of images of the tower.
35m tall? It’s a good thing that the monks didn’t leave one around the docklands in Dublin. It would have been a permanent blot on the skyline, would have towered over neighbouring buildings and would have deprived the streets of light. A 1000 years ago they were building these structures while the showpiece of modern Ireland, the IFSC – developed under the guidance of the DDDA, consists mostly of buildings about half this height.
@asdasd wrote:
What would you be happy with?
A more balanced series of National Monuments being represented on the stamps, for a start.
I do not find the designs visually engaging either, are they intentionally trying to emulate Irish stamps of the 1930’s to 1960’s perhaps, but that is more a matter of taste. The ink choice is fairly dreary also.
Keeping some perspective here – as they are only stamps after all – I quite like the idea that we can display a choice of towers from each of our provences. Thank you Vikinger!!!
Can you imagine the row in Clones in 978. Local tablet headline “Monks to lord it over the people”
Locals object to planned high-rise building.
A row is brewing in Clones as plans to build a round tower in the area has been discovered by locals. Local man, Cennétig Mael Sechlainn mac Lorcáin, expresses some of the concerns of the local residents: “This monstrosity is totally unsuitable for the area and will ruin the traditional low-rise character of the locality”. Speaking from a large puddle outside the door of her mud wall hovel, local woman, Bé Binn Maire NiAurchada claims that “this sort of thing might be all right somewher like Tara but it will overshadow the smoke hole in my roof which is my only source of natural light”. Others express the opinion that high-rise will attract undesirables into the area: “Look what happened to Clonmacnoise after they went high-rise. Ten years later the area was swarming with Vikings”. The abbot of Clones has offered to meet some of the local concerns by reducing the treasure and grain storage capacity of the tower. “We had originally planned for a 102 foot tower but in light of local opposition we have agreed to reduce the height of the building to 98 feet.”, he explained to the Oriel Examiner. “This will be a landmark building for the area and will be an excellent addition to our cluster of beehive huts. I think that once they see it completed the objectors will be won over”. The locals plan to appeal to the local petty king to intervene. “We are not against development in Clones. We just ask that new buildings are sympathetic to the area, for example by sticking to mud and wattle construction and have ceilings at most 5 foot high”.
@jimg wrote:
Locals object to planned high-rise building.
A row is brewing in Clones as plans to build a round tower in the area has been discovered by locals. Local man, Cennétig Mael Sechlainn mac Lorcáin, expresses some of the concerns of the local residents: “This monstrosity is totally unsuitable for the area and will ruin the traditional low-rise character of the locality”. Speaking from a large puddle outside the door of her mud wall hovel, local woman, Bé Binn Maire NiAurchada claims that “this sort of thing might be all right somewher like Tara but it will overshadow the smoke hole in my roof which is my only source of natural light”. Others express the opinion that high-rise will attract undesirables into the area: “Look what happened to Clonmacnoise after they went high-rise. Ten years later the area was swarming with Vikings”. The abbot of Clones has offered to meet some of the local concerns by reducing the treasure and grain storage capacity of the tower. “We had originally planned for a 102 foot tower but in light of local opposition we have agreed to reduce the height of the building to 98 feet.”, he explained to the Oriel Examiner. “This will be a landmark building for the area and will be an excellent addition to our cluster of beehive huts. I think that once they see it completed the objectors will be won over”. The locals plan to appeal to the local petty king to intervene. “We are not against development in Clones. We just ask that new buildings are sympathetic to the area, for example by sticking to mud and wattle construction and have ceilings at most 5 foot high”.
Dear God that’s almost too accurate!!! 😉 😀
@jimg wrote:
Locals object to planned high-rise building.
A row is brewing in Clones as plans to build a round tower in the area has been discovered by locals. Local man, Cennétig Mael Sechlainn mac Lorcáin, expresses some of the concerns of the local residents: “This monstrosity is totally unsuitable for the area and will ruin the traditional low-rise character of the locality”. Speaking from a large puddle outside the door of her mud wall hovel, local woman, Bé Binn Maire NiAurchada claims that “this sort of thing might be all right somewher like Tara but it will overshadow the smoke hole in my roof which is my only source of natural light”. Others express the opinion that high-rise will attract undesirables into the area: “Look what happened to Clonmacnoise after they went high-rise. Ten years later the area was swarming with Vikings”. The abbot of Clones has offered to meet some of the local concerns by reducing the treasure and grain storage capacity of the tower. “We had originally planned for a 102 foot tower but in light of local opposition we have agreed to reduce the height of the building to 98 feet.”, he explained to the Oriel Examiner. “This will be a landmark building for the area and will be an excellent addition to our cluster of beehive huts. I think that once they see it completed the objectors will be won over”. The locals plan to appeal to the local petty king to intervene. “We are not against development in Clones. We just ask that new buildings are sympathetic to the area, for example by sticking to mud and wattle construction and have ceilings at most 5 foot high”.
brilliant.
Recent additions to Archiseek
Grangefertagh Round Tower, Co. Kilkenny
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/kilkenny/grangefertagh/roundtower.htmlMonasterboice, Co. Louth
http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/louth/monasterboice/tower_cross.htmlslighty offtopic, not round towers but watch towers, the interiors of one of the towers at Glasnevin Cemetary will be open for viewing on the 27th (i think) of Feb. Only problem is you have to watch Bertie cut a ribbon over a plaque. The two towers will be illuminated (hopefully tastefully) at night now too.
@jimg wrote:
35m tall? It’s a good thing that the monks didn’t leave one around the docklands in Dublin. It would have been a permanent blot on the skyline, would have towered over neighbouring buildings and would have deprived the streets of light. A 1000 years ago they were building these structures while the showpiece of modern Ireland, the IFSC – developed under the guidance of the DDDA, consists mostly of buildings about half this height.
😮 It’s not all about height jimg, CLASS has to come into the equation as well.
A large square box does not do it for me.@ro_G wrote:
slighty offtopic, not round towers but watch towers, the interiors of one of the towers at Glasnevin Cemetary will be open for viewing on the 27th (i think) of Feb. Only problem is you have to watch Bertie cut a ribbon over a plaque. The two towers will be illuminated (hopefully tastefully) at night now too.
actually, it is the interior to the O’Connell monument which is open tonight. 8pm i believe
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
