Ireland’s Ancient Round Towers: Reaching for Heaven
The morning mist lifts, revealing a round tower soaring 110 feet skyward. A bell rings out across medieval Ireland, and for a moment time stands still.

Cรฉad Mรญle Fรกilteย – and welcome to your Letter from Ireland for this weekย as we’ll explore round towers, a fascinating piece of Ireland’s heritage that stands as a testament to our medieval craftsmanship and resilience.
We’re over the cold snap here in Ireland and the weather is back to its normal mild self. How are things in your part of the world today? I’m enjoying a cup of Lyons’ tea as I write, and I do hope you’ll join me with whatever you fancy.
Today I want to share with you the fascinating story of Ireland’s round towers – those unique stone structures that have watched over our landscape for nearly a thousand years. These slender, tapering towers are perhaps the most distinctive feature of Ireland’s medieval monastic sites, and they never fail to capture the imagination of visitors to our shores.
Reaching for Heaven: Ireland’s Ancient Round Towers
Picture this: you’re standing in a peaceful valley somewhere in medieval Ireland. The air is crisp, filled with the faint scent of wildflowers and the soft murmur of a nearby brook. Birds chirp gently in the distance as the morning mist begins to lift, revealing the outlines of ancient stone structures around you. Rising above the monastery’s churches and crosses, you see a tall, elegant tower reaching skyward – sometimes up to 110 feet high. Suddenly, a bell rings out from the top of the tower and the people all around you drop what they are doing and look towards the towerโฆ
Today, about 70 of these round towers still stand in various states of preservation across Ireland, with about 25 of them remaining largely intact. They’re a testament to the remarkable engineering and architectural skills of our medieval Irish builders.
But these towers weren’t just architectural follies – they served multiple purposes in monastic life. Their primary function was as bell towers (the Irish term “cloigtheach” literally translates as “bell house”), calling monks to prayer and marking the intervals of the monastic day. But they were also used as lookout posts, places of refuge during Viking raids, and secure storage for precious manuscripts and religious treasures.
Each tower typically follows a similar design: a round, tapering tower built of local stone, with a single doorway positioned several meters above ground level (some say to make it harder for raiders to enter). Inside, wooden floors divided the tower into levels, accessed by ladders. Near the top, four windows faced each of the points of the compass, and a conical stone roof crowned it all.
A Journey to Devenish Island
A couple of years back we had the good fortune to visit Devenish Island in County Fermanagh. This remarkable island monastery, founded by Saint Molaise in the 6th century, sits serenely on Lower Lough Erne and boasts one of Ireland’s finest and most complete round towers.
On that misty morning, we took a short boat journey from Enniskillen to reach the island. The round tower seemed to materialise out of the mist as we approached – a perfect sentinel standing tall and remarkably well-preserved. What makes this tower particularly special is that it’s one of the few that visitors can still enter (with a guide, of course).
I’ll never forget climbing the external wooden stairs, unlike the ladder the medieval monks would have used. The craftsmanship was extraordinary – the tower was built without mortar up to the first floor, with the stones fitting together so precisely that they’ve held firm for over 800 years. The doorway faces northeast and sits about 8 feet above ground level – a typical defensive feature of these towers.
What makes the Devenish tower truly unique is its decorated romanesque doorway and its distinctive features near the top – a carved human head and a celtic cross on the conical cap. These architectural details make it one of the finest examples of round tower construction in Ireland.
Best-Preserved Examples of Irish Round Towers
While Devenish’s tower is certainly remarkable, Ireland has several other outstanding examples. You may already have visited the tower at Glendalough in County Wicklow or maybe the one in Kilkenny City. How about Clonmacnoise in County Offaly with its two round towers? The tower at Kilmacduagh in County Galway is famous for its noticeable lean – it actually leans more than the Tower of Pisa!
These towers continue to captivate visitors and locals alike, standing as proud reminders of Ireland’s golden age of learning and spirituality. They’ve weathered Viking raids, countless storms, and the passage of time itself, yet still stand guard over our monastic sites, linking us to our medieval past.
How about you? Have you visited any of Ireland’s round towers? If so, what stood out for you the most? Perhaps you recall the intricate stonework, the towering presence, or the stories tied to these remarkable structures? I’d love to hear your thoughts and memories in the comment section below.
Slรกn for now,
Mike.
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