towers historical ireland

Three storey Helen's Tower built in about 1858, prominent on a hilltop at the far end, was erected in honour of Helen, Lady Dufferin, grand daughter of Sheridan and composer of the popular ballad The Irish Emigrant. In 1915 and 1916, the 36th Division was camped at Clandeboye and drilled in sight of this romantic tower. A das replica, called the Ulster Memorial Tower, was later erected on the Somme battlefield at Thiepval where nearly 6, 000 Ulstermen were killed or injured in July 1916. Helen's...

On a hill, 3 miles across the valley, and twice as tall as Helen's Tower, Scrabo Tower was built at about the same time in memory of the third Marquis of Londonderry. It has 122 steps up to a good view of Strangford Lough and beyond (open in summer). Part of it was lived in until about 1970. There is a golf course round the tower, with bluebell woods on the south side....

On the outskirts of Limavady stands Sampson's Tower which was erected by public subscription in memory of Arthur Sampson who died in 1859. He was a former great agent for the landowners, the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers.

Please phone Limavady TIC for further details as the property above is private....

It had a vault over the second storey and a passage-way around the top. In an adjoining garden there are remains of a bawn wall with slits for arrows or guns at the corner. The original 'Black Castle' was built here by Hugh de Lacy in 1180. This was superseded by a Carmelite Friary founded in 1260-70. The present castle is said to have been built by Sir Edward Bellingham in 1547. The site was long held by the Kavanaghs and the Butlers, and was also occupied by Sir Peter Carew and the Bagena...

The Westgate Tower combines with the ancient and historic Selskar Abbey to be the perfect setting to understand the historical development of Wexford. Situated in the heart of the Viking and Norman walled town, the Tower features a top-class audio-visual story on the cosmopolitan history of Wexford town, with spectacular special effects.

Upstairs in the tower there are beautiful Norman rooms and a fine battlements walk to the Abbey. Average length of visit is 1 hour approx....

The modern road cuts through a monastery founded by St Cronan who died between 600 and 620....

The 13th century stone castle consists of a gate tower, curtain walls and two corner towers. In the castle courtyard stands the 18th century Queen Anne style Damer House. The site is managed in conjunction with the Roscrea Heritage Society. The Heritage Centre details the history of Roscrea's past and feature's include a Heritage Trail walk....

A three storey 16th century granite tower with a vault over the second. It has parapet machicolations.
Together with the reconstructed Dalkey Tower Hall, further along on the opposite side of the street, it is the last of the seven castellated buildings which once stood in the old walled town of Dalkey....

The early Christian monastery of St Daig is marked by the only surviving feature, a Round Tower, which can be seen in the village.

In the 12th century the Augustinians built another monastery on higher ground alongside the Norman Motte which stands above the village.

Little remains of the monastery....

The foundation of the first monastery is attributed to St. Cronan, otherwise called Mo-Chua, who lived possibly in the 6th century. The monastery is first mentioned in 776.
It was plundered by the Vikings in 832. In 1076 the southern half of Ireland demanded the expulsion of O'Ronain from the abbacy as it was claimed that he held it against the rightful abbot.

This probably means that the monastery had fallen into lay hands by that time. The most important remnant of the monaste...