megadima
1st of February 2009 (Sun), 14:33
Kilmacduagh Monastery is found 5 km from the town of Gort (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gort) in County Galway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Galway), Ireland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland). It was the birthplace of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmacduagh), whose name means "church of Duagh's son". The 7th century Saint Colman, son of Duagh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colman_MacDuagh), established a monastery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery) on land given him by his cousin King Guaire Aidne mac Colmáin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaire_Aidne_mac_Colm%C3%A1in) (died 663 in Ireland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/663_in_Ireland)) of Connacht.
The monastery contains a round tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_round_tower), notable as both fine example of this particularly Irish feature but also because of its noticeable lean, over half a metre from the vertical. The tower is over 30 metres tall, with the only doorway some 7 metres above ground level.
This site was of such importance that it became the centre of a new diocese, the Diocese of Kilmacduagh, in the 12th century; it is now incorporated into the Diocese of Galway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galway). The monastery, because of its wealth and importance, was plundered several times in the 13th century.
The monastery contains a round tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_round_tower), notable as both fine example of this particularly Irish feature but also because of its noticeable lean, over half a metre from the vertical. The tower is over 30 metres tall, with the only doorway some 7 metres above ground level.
This site was of such importance that it became the centre of a new diocese, the Diocese of Kilmacduagh, in the 12th century; it is now incorporated into the Diocese of Galway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galway). The monastery, because of its wealth and importance, was plundered several times in the 13th century.