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Ecclesiastical site in Kildare

Ecclesiastical site

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Recorded monument
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What is recorded here

According to Bradley et al. (1986 vol. 3, 196-265), the name Kildare is derived from Cill Dara, ‘the church of the oak’, a tree which, according to the 7th century writer Cogitosus, stood beside St. Brigid’s early-6th century monastery. Originally founded for nuns, it became a ‘double monastery’, with nuns under an…

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According to Bradley et al. (1986 vol. 3, 196-265), the name Kildare is derived from Cill Dara, ‘the church of the oak’, a tree which, according to the 7th century writer Cogitosus, stood beside St. Brigid’s early-6th century monastery. Originally founded for nuns, it became a ‘double monastery’, with nuns under an abbess and monks under an abbot or bishop (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 319-20). The first bishop recorded was Conleth, who died in 520 (Annals of Ulster). Cogitosus’ Life of Brigid, written c. 680, describes a large church with many windows, and formal, decorated doors for the nuns and monks, who were separated by a screen running down the centre of the church. The altar was also cut off from the rest of the church by a screen covered with paintings and hangings, and was flanked by the richly ornamented shrines of Brigid and Conleth. The shrines were reputedly carried off by Viking raiders in 835. The monastery was burned on a number of occasions between 710 and 1089, (not always maliciously): after one burning, in 1012, The Annals of Clonmacnoise record, ‘all the Towen of Kildare was burnt by a thunderbolt but one house’, suggesting a secular, urban-type settlement had developed around the monastery, while after another burning, in 1050, it was noted that both the wooden church (durthech) and the stone church (damhlaig) were destroyed. Kildare’s importance was recognised in 1111 at the Synod of Rathbreasil, when it became one of the five episcopal sees of Leinster. The precise location of the early monastery is uncertain, but it almost certainly stood on, or near, the surviving cathedral (KD022-029005-), high cross (KD022-029021-) and round tower (KD022-029020-) in the graveyard (KD022-029003-); while the curvilinear nature of some streets may reflect the lines of early monastic enclosures (KD022-029058-).

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record KD022-029002

Places near here

Picture notes
  • A.-K. D., Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • 瑞丽江的河水, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Zairon, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0
  • Jonathan Thacker, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
  • Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
  • Chhe ( talk ), Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
  • Maker named on the Wikimedia Commons picture page · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Credit not shown, Wikimedia Commons · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
  • dougf, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Sheela-na-gig (present location) in KildareSheela-na-gig (present location) · 9 yd

Explorer Tom Sheela-na-gig in Kildare has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a sheela-na-gig (present location) with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

St. Brigids CathedralCathedral · 9 yd

Explorer Tom St. Brigids Cathedral has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a cathedral with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Saint Brigid's CathedralCathedral · 9 yd

Explorer Tom Saint Brigid's Cathedral has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a cathedral with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Fire house (Site of)Building · 28 yd

Explorer Tom Fire house has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a building with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Round Tower58 yd

Explorer Tom Round Tower in Kildare has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a round tower with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Verger's HouseRectory/glebe/vicarage/curate's house · 63 yd

Explorer Tom Verger's House has caught my eye in Kildare, County Kildare. I bet a rectory/glebe/vicarage/curate's house with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Kildare Town PlaygroundChildren's playground · 116 ydComputer-made picture. It does not show this playground.

Explorer Tom Kildare Town Playground has caught my eye in County Kildare. I bet a children's playground with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Children's playground676 ydComputer-made picture. It does not show this playground.

Explorer Tom Children's playground has caught my eye in County Kildare. I bet a children's playground with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Bee-bee tree1623 yd

Explorer Tom Bee-bee tree has caught my eye in County Kildare. I bet a bee-bee tree with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Dawn Redwood1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Dawn Redwood has caught my eye in County Kildare. I bet a dawn redwood with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

IndicatedCastle, motte · 6.1 mi

Explorer Tom Castle in Ballyshannon Demesne has caught my eye in Ballyshannon Demesne, County Kildare. I bet a castle, motte with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Blackhall CastleCastle, tower house · 7.7 mi

Explorer Tom Blackhall Castle has caught my eye in Blackhall (ballyshannon Ed), County Kildare. I bet a castle, tower house with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

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