1. A Murder In The TowerA Murder In The Tower
A re-examination of the Irish round towersA re-examination of the Irish round towers
UCD-TCD Postgraduate History Conference,UCD-TCD Postgraduate History Conference,
Trinity College Dublin, 25 April 2008Trinity College Dublin, 25 April 2008

2. HistoriographyHistoriography
 Round towers wereRound towers were
initially thought to beinitially thought to be
pagan fire-temples,pagan fire-temples,
phallic symbols,phallic symbols,
watchtowers, beacons,watchtowers, beacons,
grave markers, bellgrave markers, bell
towers and keepstowers and keeps
 It was argued that theIt was argued that the
towers were built by thetowers were built by the
Phoenicians, and laterPhoenicians, and later
theories favoured thetheories favoured the
DanesDanes

3. Historiography ctd.Historiography ctd.
 1717thth
century scholar Petercentury scholar Peter
Walsh had argued for aWalsh had argued for a
Danish origin in 1648,Danish origin in 1648,
while in the eighteenthwhile in the eighteenth
century an Anglo-Normancentury an Anglo-Norman
origin was put forwardorigin was put forward
 Renowned scholar andRenowned scholar and
antiquarian George Petrieantiquarian George Petrie
argued in 1830 for theargued in 1830 for the
more plausible Irish andmore plausible Irish and
ecclesiastical originecclesiastical origin
 Petrie’s theory is nowPetrie’s theory is now
universally accepteduniversally accepted

4. Historical ReferencesHistorical References
 First annalistic reference to theFirst annalistic reference to the
round towers refers to theround towers refers to the
burning of the tower of Slane inburning of the tower of Slane in
AD 945/950 ‘along with the bestAD 945/950 ‘along with the best
of bells, the crosier of theof bells, the crosier of the
patron saint, many people andpatron saint, many people and
the fer leigind’the fer leigind’
 Last reference in the annalisticLast reference in the annalistic
record to a round tower isrecord to a round tower is
made in AD 1238made in AD 1238
 Giraldus Cambrensis mentionsGiraldus Cambrensis mentions
the round towers in histhe round towers in his HistoryHistory
and Topography of Ireland:and Topography of Ireland:
‘Turres ecclesiasticas, quae‘Turres ecclesiasticas, quae
more patriae arctae sunt etmore patriae arctae sunt et
altae, nec non et rotundae’altae, nec non et rotundae’

5. TimelineTimeline
 The earliest date for theThe earliest date for the
round towers in Ireland isround towers in Ireland is
probably AD900probably AD900
 Round towers probablyRound towers probably
fell out of use afterfell out of use after
AD1250AD1250
 This timeline clearlyThis timeline clearly
suggests an Irish originsuggests an Irish origin
 From AD1300-AD1600:From AD1300-AD1600:
Round towers fell intoRound towers fell into
oblivionoblivion

6. Ecclesiastical BuildingsEcclesiastical Buildings
 Round towers areRound towers are
always associatedalways associated
with a monastic sitewith a monastic site
 Architectural style ofArchitectural style of
the round towers isthe round towers is
in line with the stylein line with the style
of the otherof the other
monastic buildingsmonastic buildings
 Irish round towersIrish round towers
referred to asreferred to as
cloigthechcloigthech in thein the
annalistic recordannalistic record
 Monastic sites wouldMonastic sites would
have needed a bellhave needed a bell
tower – Irish roundtower – Irish round
tower only plausibletower only plausible
candidatecandidate

7. How the Irish saved civilization?How the Irish saved civilization?

8. How the Irish saved civilization?How the Irish saved civilization?

9. How the Irish saved civilization?How the Irish saved civilization?

10. Elevated doorway: defence or spiritualElevated doorway: defence or spiritual elelevevatatioion?n?
 Suggested that theSuggested that the
elevated doorways wereelevated doorways were
a defensive featurea defensive feature
 Elevated doorway:Elevated doorway:
emphasis on the sanctityemphasis on the sanctity
of the building?of the building?
 Only doorways at groundOnly doorways at ground
level: Scattery Island, Co.level: Scattery Island, Co.
Clare and Castledermot,Clare and Castledermot,
Co. KildareCo. Kildare

11. Spiritual protection?Spiritual protection?
 The monasteries had extensiveThe monasteries had extensive termonntermonn landslands
 TheThe termonntermonn lands were protected by canon andlands were protected by canon and
native Irish lawnative Irish law
 Extensive legal system of protection (snadud)Extensive legal system of protection (snadud)
 Protection of a freeman also applied to his landsProtection of a freeman also applied to his lands
and propertyand property
 Annals of Ulster: AD745: Six criminals executedAnnals of Ulster: AD745: Six criminals executed
for violation of the sanctuary of the monastery offor violation of the sanctuary of the monastery of
DownpatrickDownpatrick

12. Round towers as reliquaries?Round towers as reliquaries?
 Annalistic record suggests relics were kept in theAnnalistic record suggests relics were kept in the
round towersround towers
 Importance of relics to the medieval mind shouldImportance of relics to the medieval mind should
not be underestimatednot be underestimated

13. Round towers as sacred buildingsRound towers as sacred buildings
 Monasteries in medieval times were carefully laid out,Monasteries in medieval times were carefully laid out,
the round towers can always be found within the inner,the round towers can always be found within the inner,
most sacred circlemost sacred circle
 Tower almost always located to the west or northwest ofTower almost always located to the west or northwest of
main churchmain church
 Doorway of tower faces doorway of primary churchDoorway of tower faces doorway of primary church
 Elevated doorway demonstration of sanctity?Elevated doorway demonstration of sanctity?
 European cathedrals: private chapels were located onEuropean cathedrals: private chapels were located on
the second floor and accessed via the adjacent towersthe second floor and accessed via the adjacent towers
 O’Keeffe, 2004: dairthech = wooden church, thus maybeO’Keeffe, 2004: dairthech = wooden church, thus maybe
cloigthech = bell-church?cloigthech = bell-church?

14. Secular authority and monasteriesSecular authority and monasteries
 Monasteries functionedMonasteries functioned
as early medieval tradingas early medieval trading
centrescentres
 Major monasteries seemMajor monasteries seem
to have been situated onto have been situated on
important trade routesimportant trade routes
and boundariesand boundaries
 Before the 11Before the 11thth
centurycentury
Investiture ControversyInvestiture Controversy
there was no clearthere was no clear
division of ‘secular’ anddivision of ‘secular’ and
‘ecclesiastical’ rule‘ecclesiastical’ rule

15. The Murder of Murchad Ua MaelsechnaillThe Murder of Murchad Ua Maelsechnaill
 Political reorganization in 11Political reorganization in 11thth
and 12and 12thth
century Irelandcentury Ireland
 Murchad Ua Maelsechnaill, ofMurchad Ua Maelsechnaill, of
the Southern Ui Neill, killed inthe Southern Ui Neill, killed in
the round tower at Kells inthe round tower at Kells in
AD1076AD1076
 His death was recorded inHis death was recorded in
nearly all Irish annals and innearly all Irish annals and in
the medieval poemthe medieval poem MideMide
Maigen Clainne CuindMaigen Clainne Cuind
 Monastery of Kells lay on theMonastery of Kells lay on the
border with the rival Ui Neillborder with the rival Ui Neill
clan Sil nAedoclan Sil nAedo
 Murchad ‘treacherously’ killedMurchad ‘treacherously’ killed
by the son of Maelan, king ofby the son of Maelan, king of
GailengaGailenga

16. The Murder of Murchad Ua MaelsechnaillThe Murder of Murchad Ua Maelsechnaill
 ATi, AU and AFM: the murderer was killed immediatelyATi, AU and AFM: the murderer was killed immediately
after he committed his crime ‘through the miracle ofafter he committed his crime ‘through the miracle of
Colm Cille’ (He had managed to flee the sceneColm Cille’ (He had managed to flee the scene
initially)initially)
 Kells founded after monks left Iona in AD803/804Kells founded after monks left Iona in AD803/804
 Murchad had been king for three days onlyMurchad had been king for three days only
 Was Murchad in the tower at Kells to be ‘crowned’?Was Murchad in the tower at Kells to be ‘crowned’?
 Oaths in medieval times would have been sworn in theOaths in medieval times would have been sworn in the
presence of relicspresence of relics

17. ConclusionsConclusions
 Round towers without a doubtRound towers without a doubt
used as bell towers – yet theyused as bell towers – yet they
were not just ‘service buildings’were not just ‘service buildings’
 The location of the tower withinThe location of the tower within
the monastic enclosurethe monastic enclosure
suggests the round towerssuggests the round towers
were extremely sacredwere extremely sacred
 Enough annalistic evidence toEnough annalistic evidence to
prove that the round towersprove that the round towers
were used as reliquarieswere used as reliquaries
 The presence of Murchad UaThe presence of Murchad Ua
Maelsechnaill in the tower atMaelsechnaill in the tower at
Kells would suggest that theKells would suggest that the
towers were of considerabletowers were of considerable
importanceimportance

18. Important sourcesImportant sources
 Byrne, F.J.Byrne, F.J. Irish Kings and High-Irish Kings and High-
KingsKings, Dublin: 1973, Dublin: 1973
 Kelly, F.Kelly, F. A Guide to Early IrishA Guide to Early Irish
LawLaw, Dublin: 2003, Dublin: 2003
 Lalor, B.Lalor, B. The Irish Round TowerThe Irish Round Tower,,
Cork: 1999Cork: 1999
 O’Keeffe, T.O’Keeffe, T. Ireland’s RoundIreland’s Round
TowersTowers, Stroud: 2004, Stroud: 2004
 Petrie, G.Petrie, G. The EcclesiasticalThe Ecclesiastical
Architecture of Ireland: An EssayArchitecture of Ireland: An Essay
on the Origins and Uses of theon the Origins and Uses of the
Round Towers of IrelandRound Towers of Ireland, Dublin:, Dublin:
18451845
 Stalley, R.Stalley, R. Irish Round TowersIrish Round Towers,,
Dublin: 2000Dublin: 2000