Cloyne Round Tower and Cathedral
About
Read the access note first: the round tower is in poor condition and is no longer open to visitors. There was a time when you got the key from the cathedral caretaker and went up a steep ladder inside; that is not currently possible, and a restoration project is under way to change it. What you can do is stand at the foot of it, which is worth the eight-kilometre trip out from Midleton in itself. The tower is thought to be tenth century and may be older. It stands across the road from Cloyne Cathedral, a building whose site goes back to a foundation by St Colman in the late sixth century and whose present fabric dates from around 1250. Cloyne is a small village and the tower is the tallest thing in it by a long way.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A round tower thought to date from the tenth century or earlier
- ✓Cloyne Cathedral, on a site founded by St Colman in the late sixth century, with present fabric from around 1250
- ✓A village small enough to see properly in an hour
- ✓On the road between Midleton and Ballycotton
Tips
- →You cannot climb the tower. It is closed on condition grounds and a restoration project is under way, so check before travelling if climbing it is the point of the trip.
- →Cloyne is about 8km south of Midleton by road. There is no rail connection; you need a car or a bus.
- →The cathedral keeps its own hours as a working church, so a service may be on when you arrive.
- →If you are going on to Ballymaloe at Shanagarry, Cloyne is on the way and the entrance is about 3km beyond the village.
Best Season
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