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January 23, 2006

AN TOSTAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME 1953 - CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4 of the AnTostal Programme from 1953 describes the Round Tower near St. Brigid's Cathedral. Fittingly next week chapter 5 contains a description of St. Brigid's Fire House, in time for the re-lighting of St. Brigid's flame as a permanent feature on the Market Square, Kildare Town. The lighting of the flame will take place on St. Brigid's Day, 1st February 2006.


THE ROUND TOWER
 

Round Towers in Ireland had a twofold purpose. They were used as belfries for Churches, and served also as keeps or places of strength in which the sacred vessels, books, relics or other valuables could be placed, and into which the clergy to whom they belonged could retire in case of sudden attack. For this purpose, the doorway was usually a certain height from the ground. There are ninety-eight round towers in Ireland, thirteen of them in perfect condition. The cloichteach of Kildare is 108 feet high. It has a solid base 50 feet in circumference. The doorway is 15 feet from the ground. The internal diameter at the door is 8½ feet. The wall is 5 feet in width. The tower stands near the west end of the nave of the Cathedral and is built of two kinds of stone, 13 feet being of white granite, and the rest of a darker stone. The chief feature is the fine Irish Romanesque doorway, built of a hard silicious sandstone of light colour, with ornaments in very low relief. There are four concentric arches, one recessed beyond the other and resting on round pilasters or semi-columns with flat imposts or capitals. The ornaments on the external arch have long been destroyed and were replaced with crude masonry early in the 18th century. The ornaments on the recessed arches are also much injured but the fourth or innermost is fairly well preserved. The tower was built probably at the close of the eighth or early in the ninth century. Giraldus Cambrensis tells of a beautiful falcon that used to nestle in its summit all alone and was on familiar terms with the monks and citizens, and was known as St. Brigid’s bird. Even in the time of Giraldus the Round Tower was a venerable building. It still points heavenwards as of old, marking out the sacred city of St. Brigid in the great plain of the Liffey.

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Chapter 4 of the AnTostal Programme from 1953 describes the Round Tower near St. Brigid's Cathedral. Fittingly next week chapter 5 contains a description of St. Brigid's Fire House, in time for the re-lighting of St. Brigid's flame as a permanent feature on the Market Square, Kildare Town. The lighting of the flame will take place on ST. Brigid's Day, 1st February 2006.

Posted by mariocorrigan at January 23, 2006 09:48 PM