Cloyne: Round Tower, Cathedral and Monastic History

Cloyne combines an early Christian monastic history with distinctive buildings and surprising discoveries nearby. The round tower and St. Colman’s Cathedral shape the village’s history; a cave system just outside it offers a very different feature. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Cloyne, these cultural and natural interests can help guide your trip.

Round Tower and Early Monastic History

Cloyne’s round tower is one of only two surviving round towers in County Cork. It stands at a monastic site believed to have been founded in the 6th century. St. Colman established his own monastic settlement in Cloyne around 560 AD; the cathedral stands on the site of an early Christian church foundation that he established in the late 6th century on land granted by the King of Cashel. These two recorded dates describe the site’s early history and lead to a place where a round tower and a pre-Reformation cathedral still stand.

There is one practical limitation to keep in mind when visiting: you can see the outside of the round tower, but you cannot currently enter it. This lets you appreciate the tower as part of the historic streetscape without planning an indoor visit. Cloyne is also listed in an archaeological overview of early Christian sites in East Cork, noted for its tall round tower and medieval cathedral.

St. Colman’s Cathedral and Memorials

St. Colman’s Cathedral is on Church Street in the historic East Cork village of Cloyne. It remains an active church and is surrounded by a churchyard with old gravestones. Parts of today’s cathedral date to the 13th century; it was built around 1250 on older foundations. The building brings together a long religious history and visible traces of different phases of construction.

Individual works of art and memorials also give your visit a more specific focus. The cathedral houses a marble monument to George Berkeley: a reclining statue in the Italian style by Irish sculptor Bruce Joy. The Cross of Cloyne was excavated on the cathedral grounds around 1885. Made of gilded bronze, it dates to the 11th or 12th century. Another link to local history is a pair of early Bronze Age gold sun discs associated with Cloyne, now in the National Museum.

Christy Ring and the Cave System

Cloyne is the home of Christy Ring. A nine-foot-high bronze statue of him stands in the village; a grove of ash trees called Ros Uí Rinn is also dedicated to him. These two memorials add a distinct feature alongside the religious buildings and make the village’s connection to a well-known figure visible.

Just outside Cloyne is an extensive, complex cave system. It extends beneath the surrounding land for about seven acres. If you’re particularly interested in nature and underground landscapes, you can take this feature into account when choosing places to visit.

Choosing a Location for Your Trip

If historic sites and religious art are your main interests, Cloyne offers several clear points of interest: the round tower, the active cathedral, the old churchyard and its monuments. The nearby cave system is another option for a trip that also includes natural attractions. A holiday rental in Cloyne is one way to search if you’re interested in the village itself; which accommodation is right for you depends on your personal preferences.

Find more pages about Carrigboy, Upper Aghada, Churchtown, Killeagh, Coomhola Bridge, Monkstown, Coachford and Ballincollig.

For the broader travel overview: Cork.