Killala Round Tower

Enclosed within a small, walled enclosure in the centre of the town of Killala, crowning a low hill on the SW shores of Killala Bay. A cathedral (MA022-017003-) and a souterrain (MA022-017005-) are located within a graveyard (MA022-017010-) 65m to S.

This round tower is a National Monument (no. 105) in state guardianship. It consists of a circular tower (diam. c. 5m; H c. 25m) constructed of coursed limestone blocks cut to the curve; it stands to its full height and has a conical cap. There is a plinth-like offset (Wth 0.08-0.15m; H 0.8-0.9m) of large stones at the base of the tower. The doorway (Wth 0.7m at base; H 1.7m) at SSE is at first floor level, 2.98m above the offset, and c. 3.8m above current ground level. Three blocks of pale brown sandstone form the round arch at top, but the rest of the doorway is constructed of limestone. Three square-headed windows light the upper storeys, at ENE just above the second floor, at SSE on the third floor, and at W on the fourth floor. The uppermost storey, just beneath the roof, has four window, facing NNE, ESE, SSW, WNW, all square-headed internally and angle-headed externally. There are offsets in the internal wall face, which once carried timber floors for each storey. (Barrow 1979, 157-9). The stone-built conical cap was reconstructed in the early1840’s, and a noticeable bulge in the external wall face, about mid-way up the tower on the SW side, appears also to be the result of repairs, possibly as a result of a lightning strike in the 19th century.

The round tower is the principal visible remnant of an important monastic establishment, traditionally said to have been founded here by St. Patrick, who appointed St. Muiredach as the first bishop of Killala (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 85).