Another of those places we already saw in 2002, on May 4th. This is one of the place that I have been dreaming of coming back since. Unfortunately this time the weather wasn't so good as the past time.
The name Drumlane comes from "drumlin", the way the low and rounded hills are known in this part of Ireland. Drumlin derives from the Irish words "droim" and "leathan", hill and broad respectively.
The original monastery at this site was founded in the 6th century by St. Maodhóg, but around 1150 it was re-founded as an Augustinian Priory. In 1246 a fire caused major damages to the buildings. What we see today are the remains of the building from the 15th century. Inside the ruins of the church are two tombs of unnamed patrons. The large east window shows a complex stone tracery, and on the outside of it there are two carved heads of kings on the sides and the carved head of a bishop at the top.
Next to the remains of the church is the stump of a round tower. It is 11.75 metres tall and has a moulded doorway on the south-southeast side (165°) at 2.78 metres from the ground.
This is the only surviving witness of the 10 century building.
The lower part of the tower is from that period, the upper part is a reconstruction of the 15th century. On the north side of the tower (north 20°) are the carvings of two animals, a hen and a cock.
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