From Castlebar - County Mayo -

Mayo Historical and Archaeological Society
The country's highest Round Tower.
By N.O'N.
8, Jan 2008 - 14:34

Kilmacduagh Round Tower

kilmacduagh__2_.jpg
Kilmacduagh's leaning tower, with the hills of the Burren in the background.

The photo above shows the 12-13th century round-tower at Kilmacduagh, approximately 3 miles S.W. of Gort, Co. Galway.

The tower, 112 feet in height, is the highest in the country, and, as can be seen in the photo, it leans nearly two and a half feet from the perpendicular. This, according to the experts, is because of a very shallow foundation, and graves under and around the structure.

A number of ecclesiastical buildings are on the site which was founded by St. Colman Mac Duagh, a 6th century saint, after whom the site is named.

Further reading :

The Shell Guide To Ireland  (1967) - Killanin & Duignan.

Ireland's Round Towers (2004) -Prof. Tadhg O'Keefe

A Thousand Years Of Church Heritage in East

Galway (2005) - Dr. Peter Harbison.



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