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South Lunette West Face |
Ardmore Church and Round Tower The first monastery was founded in Ardmore by Saint Declan, a pre-Patrician Saint in the 5th century. At that site are the later remains of an ecclesiastical enclosure. Inside the enclosure are the remains of Saint Declans oratory, the 'Cathedral' shown above, a 12th century round tower and two ogham stones. The Cathedral, which consists of a nave and chancel, was built during the 12th century in three phases. The main feature of this church is the arcading on the west face. |
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The arcading consists a row
of thirteen panels of which nine still contain Romanesque figure sculpture (see top image).
Below these panels are two lunettes also containing figure sculpture.
Some of the iconography of the panels have been identified. Shown right
is a detail from the lunette on the north side of the west face featuring
Adam and Eve. The lunette above features the adoration of the magi with
the Judgement of Solomon above it. The round tower which was also built
during the 12th century has four floors and stands 29 metres high with
a 5 metre diameter at the base.
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Ogham Stones Located in the chancel of the cathedral are two of the three ogham stones that were originally found at this site. The ogham stone now standing in a small niche of the chancel, shown left, was found built into the east wall of the oratory, and has two inscriptions that read: LUGUDECCAS MAQI (...MU)COI NETA SEGAMONAS and DOLATI BIGA ISGOB. Pictured below is an ogham stone found lying beside a grave, the inscription reads: AMADU. |
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A third ogham stone which was found built into a wall of the cathedral has been removed to the National Museum Ireland. The inscription read ...NACI MAQI... I strongly recommend a visit to this wonderful ecclesiastic site and I am sorry that I did not have more time to spend here. Situated: Quite easy to find this one - from the centre of Ardmore head south uphill to the round tower that dominates the skyline. Discovery Map 82: X 189 774. Last visit September 2006. Photos: Jim Dempsey |
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