St Cronan - Laois education Centre

Round TowerThe Irish reacted to the invasions by constructing high round towersto be used as places of refuges during the raids. A series of towerswere built throughout the land until recently it was generallyaccepted that Roscrea’s Round Tower was built in the 10thcentury for this purpose. However,new theories now suggest that thetower may not have been built until a later date.Suggestions now include that it was built in the 12th century as a belltower for the new cathedral.It is located on the west side of Church Street. It faces St.Cronan’s Church of Ireland.There are architectural similarities between Roscrea and ClonfertCathedrals. Perhaps, the clergy from both dioceses held discussionsabout designs for the Round Tower. The sailing ship was used asa tribute to Brendan the Navigator the Patron of Clonfert!Inside the window of the Tower in Roscrea was a carving of a onemasted sailing ship. This is carved in bold relief. It is about a footlong. The tower still stands, now sixty feet high.The top twenty feet,the conical stone top, of the tower was blown off during the 1798Rebellion by someone firing from a cannon from the Norman Castleon Castle Street.It is thought that the top was wooden.Large sized stones were usedin the construction of the tower is very impressive. Inside is now