Tipperary

At the monastic site of Kilclispin there are two fine crosses. They are similar in style to the nearby Kilkeerin crosses. They are both covered in interlacing and trumpet spirals. The base of the north cross has figured scenes which include a funeral procession and a procession with a chariot. The figured scenes on the base of the south cross are greatly worn and may include Daniel in the Lion's Den and the Fall of Man. Both crosses have conical caps. The type of decoration is very similar to that found in metalwork which may be dated to the 8th century. These may be some of the earliest High Crosses in Ireland.

This, the largest medieval priory in Ireland, was founded for the Augustinians by William FitzAldem de Burgo at the end of the 12th century. It was dedicated to St Edmund. There are extensive remains of the surrounding wall which encloses about 4 acres. A ditch outside the wall was crossed by a stone bridge which gave access to the gatehouse. This may have been three storeys high with a high-pitched roof. The church and other buildings lie about 100m to the east. The original west doorway of the church is now situated at the west end of the choir. It is a fine pointed arch. Little remains of the nave. Within the choir is a double effigy, the taller figure being apparently female. On the east wall of the choir is a slab with two incised figures, a male and a female, holding a cross between them. There are also some coffin lids with floreated crosses. There are good lancet windows in the N and S walls and a fine three-light E window. Fragments of the tower rise above the W end of the choir. Above the second storey there was a vault and there were two storeys above that. High on the outside wall is a crude carved face. Only fragments of the cloister arcade remain but the surrounding buildings are extensive and there are many vaulted chambers.

This castle was built by the Purcells in the 16th century. It is one of a number of round castles found throughout Tipperary. It is five storeys high with four machicolations at roof level. One of these guards the doorway in the E where there is also a murder-hole leading from a small chamber on the first floor. A spiral stairway rises to the left of the doorway. The ground floor room is lit with small slits set within deep square recesses. This gives the room a cruciform appearance. There is a vault above the first floor and another above the third floor. The rooms at the higher levels are lit by single- and two-light windows. The second floor has a very fine fireplace and there is another at the fourth floor. A hole in the floor near the N wall at this level leads downwards to an apparent secret chamber set within the thickness of the wall.

Burncourt Castle is a large gabled mansion, with a central block four bays long and four storeys high including the basement and attic. It has four large square flanking towers each five storeys high including the basement and gabled attic. Along the front are the corbels for a machicolation which runs the full length of the central block. There is a fine central doorway with a hood mould and decorated label stops. The castle has many mullioned and transomed windows with good square hood moulds. There are fireplaces in the east wall, the north wall and within the flanking towers. There is no indication of a stairway. There would have been twenty six gables in the house. The castle was built in 1641 by Sir Richard Everard and burned by Cromwell in 1650.

This magnificent castle stands on a rock at the edge of the River Suir. At the beginning of the 12th century the O'Brian Lords of Thomond built a castle on this spot but the present castle dates mainly from the 15th century. It was built by the Butlers of Ormond and was considerably restored in the 19th century. The curtain wall follows the contour of the rock and is strengthened by three strong rectangular towers and four smaller circular ones. It is divided into two wards. The gateway to the inner ward is defended by murder-holes, a machicolation and a portcullis. There is a strong three-storey keep with a large with a fireplace at the first floor.

The Rock of Cashel holds two churches, a Round Tower, a High Cross and a castle. It is the site of a 4th century fortress and Brian Boru was crowned there in 977. In 1169 a cathedral was founded there but the present remains date from the 13th century. It is a large cruciform church with many lancet windows and a considerable number of mural passages and stairways. There are three tomb-chests in the north transept.Two of them have very fine weepers and the third is richly carved with intertwined beasts and foliage. There are many other small carvings throughout the church. Attached to the west end is the ruin of a large tower-house. The oldest building on the Rock is the Round tower which may date from the 10th century. It is complete and stands outside the NE corner of the N transept. Between 1127 and 1134 Cormac's Chapel was built in the angle between the S transept and the choir. This magnificent Romanesque church has twin towers and blind arcades both inside and outside. There are Romanesque doorways with carved tympana in the N and S walls and the chancel arch has carved heads both animal and human. In the nave is a broken tomb-chest with very fine carving of intertwined beasts.

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The town walls of Fethard are extensive and many sections have been recently restored. At the W end of a 100m section of the S wall is a small tower known as Fethard Castle. It has an ogee-headed window near the top as well as some square-headed slits. At the east end of this section is a large tower with a good latrine chute. This is Edmund Castle. Beyond it is a larger tower called Court Castle. The upper windows were mullioned but are now blocked. There is one chimney stack. The wall extends for several hundred metres to the W of this section. A shorter section to the E has a good defensive slit and incorporates a fine sheila-na-gig. At the N edge of the town the North Gate spans the roadway.

This was originally a Benedictine foundation but was refounded in 1186 by Cistercians from Monasteranenagh in Co Limerick. The church was re-roofed in 1975 and is now used by the local parish. Substantial portions of the cloister and its surrounding buildings have been restored. The church is a fine example of 15th century architecture with magnificent vaulting over the chancel and at the tower-crossing. There are many very fine traceried windows. In the chancel is a richly decorated sedilia with intertwined beasts and royal and noble coats of arms. In the S transept is a structure like a tomb-chest surmounted by a vaulted cover supported by twisted pillars. It is known as "The Monks' Waking Place" and may have been a shrine to hold the portion of the True Cross for which the abbey was famous. In the area of the tower-crossing there are many masons' marks. Some of these are simply inscribed but others are miniature works of art. High up on the wall is a very fine carved owl.

Hore Abbey was founded by the Benedictines at the end of the 12th century but was taken over by Cistercians from Mellifont in 1272. It was the last pre-Reformation Cistercian foundation in Ireland. The layout is similar to other Cistercian abbeys except that the cloister lies to the north of the church. Alterations in the 15th century included the building of a tower and partial blocking of the larger Gothic lancets. In the chancel is a very fine double piscina with four-leaved and eight-leaved basins. At the jamb of one of the doorways into the church is a fine mason's mark shaped like a capital N.

The Cistercian abbey at Kilcooly was founded in 1182 by monks from Jerpoint and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Benedict. It was almost completely destroyed in the mid-15th century and extensive reconstruction then took place. The church lost its aisles and a new north transept and a tower were built. From this time also date the two stone seats in the nave - one of them richly decorated. In the chancel there are some good memorials including a very fine tomb-chest by Rory O'Tunney from c1526. This is the tomb of Piers Fitz Oge Butler and has some very fine weepers and an effigy of the knight. On the wall leading into the sacristy are some very good decorated panels depicting St Christopher and a Crucifixion as well as a mermaid holding a mirror. The sacristy was modified to form a two-storey house around the beginning of the 16th century. There are many fine windows throughout the abbey with the best being the large flamboyant east window. A short distance from the church is a ruined columbarium.

This 16th century four-storey tower-house has a straight mural stair to the first floor and a spiral stairway to the higher levels. A garderobe and a secret chamber may be entered from the top floor. There are remains of a bartizan at one corner and slop-stones and hinge-stones may also be seen. there are substantial remains of a bawn with a round-headed gateway. The castle belonged to Brian Ua Cinneide Fionn, Chieftain of Ormonde, who died in 1588. His son, Donnchadh, surrendered it to the Cromwellians in 1653.

This tiny village has remains of three churches, two High Crosses and a motte. The Dominican priory was founded in 1269. The nave and chancel of the church are of equal width giving the appearance of a very long building. The five-light east window is fragmentary and there are good lancet windows in the N and S walls. There is a fine north doorway and a mutilated west doorway. Outside the Catholic church beside the ruin is a very good bullaun stone

To the south of the Dominican Priory is St Ruadhan's Church, which dates from the 15th century. It has good east and west windows and a richly decorated west doorway. A little further south the Church of Ireland building occupies part of an older church. This older section has a 15th century doorway decorated with floral designs and a pelican feeding her young with drops of her blood. In the graveyard is the decorated base of a High Cross and part of the shaft on another. A little further on at the edge of the village is the motte.

On a former island in the middle of Monaincha Bog stands a High Cross and the ruin of a small church. It was probably founded by St Cainnech of Aghaboe but has associations with St Cronan of Roscrea. The monastery experiences a revival in the 12th century when it became Augustinian. The nave-and-chancel church has a richly decorated Romanesque west doorway and chancel arch. Fragments of a 12th century High Cross have been re-erected outside the church. Decoration includes horsemen and a Crucifixion. There may be parts of two different crosses.

This castle was reputedly built by King John in 1213 but was probably not erected until the middle of the 13th century. It is surrounded by a strong wall with one rectangular and two D-shaped towers. At one corner is a tall rectangular tower with a vault and a fine fireplace at the second floor. There are many mural passages and stairways. The upper portions of this tower may date from the 16th century. The top of the curtain wall may be reached from the first floor of the tower and on the outer wall there are holes indicating the former presence of a drawbridge.

The Round Tower is probably the oldest building in Roscrea. It is part of a monastery founded by St Cronan in the early 7th century. The tower dates from the 10th century. It is about 20m high and has a simple round-headed doorway. It was used as a dwelling until the early 19th century. The last inhabitants were responsible for hanging out flags for the local Orange Society.

Across the road from the Round Tower is the west facade of a 12th century Romanesque church. Above the round-headed doorway is a hood enclosing the figure of a bishop. On either side of the doorway is a blind arcade. The High Cross which stood near this church has now been removed for conservation purposes. It appears to date from the 12th century and features large figures in high relief on both faces.