This round tower is one of the best preserved round towers in Ireland and it's a nice example of how the many other round towers might have looked like in the past.
According to some annals it was built between 1170 and 1238 by order of Donatus O Bechda. It's about 26 metres tall and has a diameter of 5.5 metres. The doorway is at about 3 metres above the ground on the southeast (150°) side.
The tower was part of a monastic settlement whose origins go back to the 5th century when it was ruled by Muiredach, first bishop of Killala.
This tower proved to be particularly unlucky because it was struck by a lightning twice, once in the 17th century, then in the 18th century, and suffered considerable damages. It was repaired in 1804 and the repair is still vible today on the southwest (205°) side of the building, where a difference in the masonry and a bulge are visible.
Our visit to this tower was cheered by the presence of a young cat that stayed with us all time long.
We came here for the first time on December 7th, 1995, a long time ago!
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