12th Century High Cross and Romanesque Church Ruins in Ireland’s County Clare
Nestled in the countryside of Ireland’s County Clare, near the quaint little village of Corofin, is the Clare Archaeology Centre, which features 25 original monuments and points of interest dating to 1000 B.C.
This was my second visit to this area, which features as its centerpiece the restored 15th Century Dysert O’Dea Castle, and I still haven’t scratched the surface of what this fantastic walk through history has to offer.
In this image, a 12th Century High Cross greets visitors to Dysert O’Dea church, which was built on the site of an early Christian monastery founded by Saint Tola in the 8th Century.
While Conor O’Dea is believed to have substantially rebuilt the cross and the church in 1683, many of the older features of the building as well as the adjacent Round Tower date from the 11th Century.
The church ruins include an elegantly carved “illuminated” Romanesque Doorway, a Medieval reconstruction of a doorway from the 12th Century church. Carvings on this arched entrance include human and animal heads, chevrons and scalloped arches.
Next to the church are the ruins of the Round Tower and a graveyard, still in use, with views of the castle in the distance.
If you’re interested in Irish History, this definitely is a place to put on your boots and spend the day hiking around its four kilometers of trails.
Stumbled across your wrk on Facebook. Beautiful! Love this particular photo, is it work sale and what are the prices?
Thanks Mary! Images can be purchased through Fine Art America at: http://jamesatruett.artistwebsites.com or you can just click on the link at the top of the page that says “Ireland Prints, Posters and Cards.”
Love your pictures and story. I spent 9 days in Ireland a couple of years ago.we are planning to go back. So am happy to get some more ideas! We went to the Tobernalt Holy Well, that was an awesome experience. Our guide explained it to us. I could feel the spirits around us!
A friend sent me this link; she knows my middle name is Clare for the county where my mother’s mother’s mother’s mother came from (early 1800s), to the USA. One girl in every generation gets the name and I was the lucky one. Ireland is #1 on my list – thank you so much for the beautiful photo and a bit of the history.
Beautiful name, Margaret Clare! So glad you enjoyed this.