Roscam

Roscam is a medieval ecclesiastical site and National Monument located in County Galway, Ireland.[1][2]

Roscam
Ros Cam
Location within Ireland
Monastery information
Other namesRos-chaim; Ros-camm
Established5th century AD
DioceseGalway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
Architecture
Statusruined
StyleCeltic
Site
LocationRoscam, Oranmore, County Galway
Coordinates53.264423°N 8.984974°W / 53.264423; -8.984974
Visible remainsChurch, bullauns and round tower
Public accessyes
Official nameRoscam Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site
Reference no.46

Location

Roscam is located 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Galway city, immediately north of Oranmore Bay.[3]

History

Roscam stands on the site of a very early (5th century) monastery, with legend linking it to Saint Patrick.[4] It was also associated with Odran, a brother of Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (6th century). The 6th-century Saint Aedus (Aidus) transferred the bones of Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin to Roscam.[5] It was attacked by Vikings in AD 807.[6]

The round tower is dated to the 11th century and appears to have never been completed.[7] The ruined tower once marked the limit of O'Halloran (Ó hAllmhuráin, Clann Fhearghaile) territory.[8][9]

The church was built in the 15th century.

Roscam is said to have been used as a duelling site in the medieval era; it is well outside Galway city and is easily accessible by boat.[10]

Ruins and monuments

The tower

There is a limestone round tower (11 m (36 ft) tall),[11][12] bullauns and a church 22 m (72 ft) in length. The whole site is surrounded by a large enclosure.[13]

References

  1. Spellissy, Sean (1 January 1999). The history of Galway. Celtic Bookshop. ISBN 9780953468331 via Google Books.
  2. O'Keeffe, Tadhg (26 March 2018). Ireland's Round Towers: Buildings, Rituals and Landscapes of the Early Irish Church. Tempus. ISBN 9780752425719 via Google Books.
  3. "Roscam Abbey Church, County Galway, Ireland". placesmap.net.
  4. "Roscam graveyard, Roscam, Galway, Ireland - The on-line graves and graveyards finder". historicgraves.com.
  5. Byrne, Vincent (1 September 2003). The Hidden Annals: A Thousand Years of the Kingdom of Connaught 366-1385. Universal-Publishers. ISBN 9781581125689 via Google Books.
  6. Sawyer, Peter (2001). The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. ISBN 9780192854346.
  7. Hourihane, Colum (26 March 2018). From Ireland Coming: Irish Art from the Early Christian to the Late Gothic Period and Its European Context. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691088259 via Google Books.
  8. O'Laughlin, Michael C. (26 March 1998). The Families of County Galway, Ireland: Over One Thousand Entries from the Archives of the Irish Genealogical Foundation. Irish Roots Cafe. ISBN 9780940134003 via Google Books.
  9. O'Dowd, Peadar (5 October 2004). A History of County Galway: A comprehensive study of Galway's history, culture and people. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN 9780717165438 via Google Books.
  10. "Roscam Round Tower and Chuch [sic], Co. Galway". 10 May 2015.
  11. Lalor, Brian (26 March 1999). The Irish Round Tower: Origins and Architecture Explored. Collins Press. ISBN 9781898256649 via Google Books.
  12. "Roscam Round Tower, Galway".
  13. "Roscam Church, Galway".
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