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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