Rattoo Round Tower
| Rattoo Round Tower | |
|
County Kerry | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type: | Round tower |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | Q87853360 |
| Location: | 52°26’34"N, 9°39’1"W |
| Village: | Ballyduff |
| History | |
| Built approx. 1100 | |
| Round tower | |
| Information | |
Rattoo Round Tower stands at Rattoo near Ballyduff in County Kerry. It is possibly the best preserved of all Irish round towers.
The tower was built around 1100. It stands 90 feet tall, built of yellow sandstone. It has an arched doorway which stands nine feet above ground level, with unique moulding. Two thirds of the conical cap was replaced in 1880-81.
By the tower are remains of a 15th century church, whose structure includes stones from an earlier house of worship. The tower stands on the grounds of an ancient monastery thought to have been founded by Bishop Lughach, one of the first Christian evangelists in Kerry.
During Victorian restoration works a sheela-na-gig was discovered on the inner face of the north window. A sheela-na-gig is an ugly, explicit carving possibly used as a protective symbol, and this is the only example found in an Irish round tower.[1][2]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Rattoo Round Tower) |
References
- ↑ Rattoo Round Tower: Discover Ireland
- ↑ Rattoo Round Tower: Discover Kerry<
- Ratoo Tower: An Taisce
