Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRound tower
- Date or period mentionedmedieval
- Recorded sizediameter at base 5.6m; wall T 1.12m; H 19m
- StatusNational Monument
What to look for
- Conical cap
- Windows
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
National Monument No. 81. Circular tower (diam. at base 5.6m; wall T 1.12m; H 19m) five storeys high built with coursed finely cut ashlar blocks of limestone on a protruding plinth.
Full archaeological record 163 words
National Monument No. 81. Circular tower (diam. at base 5.6m; wall T 1.12m; H 19m) five storeys high built with coursed finely cut ashlar blocks of limestone on a protruding plinth. The top storey which was rebuilt in the medieval period has 8 rectangular slits. Round headed door at first floor level, facing SE. Conical cap now destroyed, wooden floors carried on corbels at every level. One simple flat headed window at second and third floors facing SW and N respectively. Locally known as O' Rourke's tower which according to the Annals of Clonmacnoise was built in the year 1124, the roof of which was struck by lightning in 1135 (Barrow 1979, 173-5). English soldiers carried off the bell of the Round tower in 1552 (Harbison 1972, 202-4). Depicted on the first two editions of the OS 6-inch map but not on the last edition. (Cooke 1875, 372; Monahan 1886, 66-8; Westropp 1907, 290; MacAlister 1910, 20-7; O' Flanagan 1933 vol. 1, 65)
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Updated 23 May 2011 · Based on the Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
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Around O'Rourke's Tower
Other heritage nearby
- Clonmacnoise Early Medieval Ecclesiastical SiteAncient church · 0.0 km
- Temple CiaránAncient church · 0.1 km
- TemplereeAncient church · 0.1 km
- Temple FinianAncient church · 0.1 km
- Clonmacnoise CastleCastle · 0.2 km
- Nuns' ChapelAncient church · 0.6 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 11 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 6 high crossesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 ogham stoneArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 monastic siteArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Pilgrim's Road to ClonmacnoiseRoad Cycling Trail · 24.4 km · nearest point 0.3 km
- Green Heartlands Cycle RouteRoad Cycling Trail · 219.6 km · nearest point 1.7 km
- Shannonbridge - River Shannon LoopWalking Trail · 4.4 km · nearest point 5.6 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Mongan Bog Nature ReserveNature reserves · 2.4 km
- AthloneWalled towns · 11 km
Other attractions nearby
- Athlone Guided ToursWalking · 5.6 km
- Glendeer Open Pet FarmNature and Wildlife · 8.4 km
- Drum Heritage CentreHistoric Houses and Castle · 8.5 km
- Drum Monastic Settlement and St Brigid's Holy WellHistoric Houses and Castle · 8.5 km