5th Class History Project 2005
The Round Tower
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It is believed that the Round Tower in Dromiskin was built in the 9th
Century.
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It is one of only two Round Towers in
Co. Louth, the other one is in Monasterboice.
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It is believed that Colman Mac Ailill
from Dromiskin, who helped to build Clonmacnoise, may have built it.
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The Round Tower was known
as a “Cloigtheach”, which tells us that it was used mainly as a bell tower.
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There was no Priest in the Monastery, so
when a Holy Man came, he brought a bell which would be rung in the top of the
Tower to tell all around to come for Mass.
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The Round Tower was
also used
as a watch tower.
Design of the Round Tower
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Dromiskin
Round Tower is about 55 feet high with
a diameter
of 17 feet, and it is thought to have been originally higher.
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The
top is cone-shaped.
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The
inside was divided into a number of storeys reached by ladders from one to
another.
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The
top storey had usually 4 windows facing north, south, east and west.
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The
door was placed about 10 feet from the ground outside and was reached
by a ladder.
The Round Tower and the Vikings
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The Round Tower was also
used as a hiding place, where the monks would hide with their books and holy
objects when under sudden attack from the Vikings or local chieftains.
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At the time when Dromiskin Round Tower
was built, Vikings had forts in Carlingford, Dundalk and Annagassan.
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The Vikings often raided
the monasteries at Dromiskin and Monasterboice.
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When the look-out on duty warned that a
raid was about to happen, the Monks and local people could hide in the Tower and
drop large stones on their attackers.
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Once they had drawn up the ladder and
barred the door, they felt safe.
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However, the floors inside
the Tower were made of timber, not stone.
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Whoever attacked the tower used to shoot
in fire to burn the floors and stairs.
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If the fire went in at the bottom, it
would go the whole way up.
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Those inside the tower could ring a
bell, and local chieftains could come and fight the attackers.
An Interesting Fact!
In
1835 Mr. Robert Munketrick was living in a small thatched cabin, which was built
up against the south side of the
tower. He was caretaker of
St.Margaret’s church and received one penny per week.
He was evicted in 1841 and the cabin was destroyed.