Cloigtheach (Round Tower)

Situated near the top of a steep E-facing slope almost at the N perimeter of Drumcliff graveyard (CL033-033002-) c. 10m N of the church (CL033-033001-). A ruined circular tower (diam. at base 4.88m, int. diam. 2.44m) standing to 11m on the N side but only to 3m on the S (Wth of wall at S 1.14m), built of coursed roughly squared and dressed limestone interspersed with large irregular boulders and smaller stones. The courses are more regular above the first metre and the walls have a mortared rubble core. The interior is filled with earth to the level of the surviving S side. A first-floor doorway at a height of 6m was evident in 1808 and was described as having a moulding round it (Barrow 1979, 59). Three windows were also present, one of which faced W, 7.3m above the ground. This window appears to be square-headed in a 19th-century drawing in the Royal Irish Academy (ibid.). Offsets for the first, second and third floors are clearly visible in the interior. Two pairs of non-structural corbels can be seen, one at first and one at second floor level. The round tower and the church are national monuments in State care, no. 204. (Barrow 1979, 59; Lalor 1999, 109, 111) The following images are attached: CL033-033003-_01.jpg Round tower from SW CL033-033003-_02.jpg View from S Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 28 April 2015

Built in the 10th or 11th century, Cloigtheach Round Tower at Drumcliff was likely constructed by a monastic community associated with the early Christian site. It is a classic example of Irish early medieval architecture, dedicated to Christian worship, and stands as a significant surviving monument of the ancient monastic settlement linked to St. Columba.