Tipperary Ireland

The dolmens of Co. Tipperary have been studied in some detail. They number twenty-five, seven of which arc in a fair state of preservation. The principal group is in the hilly district surrounding the village of Kilcommon. It is situated about 10 miles north of Dundrum station and twelve miles north-east of Oola station. Here can be seen the remains of eleven dolmens in a more or less ruined condition, and the sites of four others, spread over a tract of land about seven miles from east to west and four miles from north to south. In the same district are the remains of four or more stone circles. The best preserved dolmen in the county is situated at Baurnadomeeny East. It lies about a quarter of a mile north of the village of Rear Cross, in a valley to the cast of the road, with its axis running cast and west; it measures 24 ft. in length and 10 ft. in breadth. Its eastern end makes a rectangular chamber 10 ft. long, 4 ft. wide, and 4 ft. high : its roof is formed of four large stones. The western chamber measures nearly 7 ft. square and 3 ft. 6 in. high. The amount of earth which still remains on the roof of the dolmen points to it having been originally covered by a mound ; traces of a stone circle which formerly surrounded the dolmen may also be observed.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Antique. Tags: , Ahenny, AnnalsLeinster, bailey, Baurnadomeeny, Carrick-on-Suir, castellum, chamber, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Co. Waterford, Dundrum, Fiachaidh Muilleathan, fosse, High Crosses, Ireland, Kilcommon, Kilelispeen, Knockgraffon, Lismore, Munster, Normans, Oola, Rear Cross, scenes, stones. Comments: 1

The name for Tipperary (Hotels, Tipperary, Ireland) comes from the Gaelic Tiobraid Arann, meaning well of Era. Tipperary was controlled by the Kings of Munster until the ascension of Brian Boru. Tipperary was predominately free from Viking exploitation, and the coming of the Anglo-Normans saw Tipperary placed in the protective custody of the Butlers until the forces of Oliver Cromwell ravaged Ireland.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under History. Tags: Bodhbh Dearg, Brian Boru, Brighid, Caher, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Clonmel, Cnoc Rafann, Co. Tipperary, Cork, Devils Bit, Fcthard, Fethard, Gaelic Tiobraid Arann, Galtees, Golden Vale, Ireland, Kerry, Knockmealdowns, Limerick, Lough Derg, Magh Feimhein, Munster, Nenage, Normans, Ormond, Plantagenets, Roscrea, Shannon, Shevenaman, Suir, Templemore, Thurles, Tipperary, Tudors, Viking, Waterford. Comments: None

Antiquities

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Uncategorized. Tags: abbey, Ahenny, AnnalsLeinster, archbishop, Augustinian Priory, bailey, Baurnadomeeny, Bodhbh Dearg, Brian Boru, Brighid, Caher, Cahir, Cahir Castle, Carrick-on-Suir, carvings, Cashel, castellum, cathedral, chamber, chapels, choir, church, Clonmel, Cnoc Rafann, Co. Tipperary, Co. Waterford, coffin, Cork, Cormac MacCarthaigh, CromwellKiltinane, Desmond, Devils Bit, Donaghmore, Dundrum, Earl of Essex, Earl of Glengall, England, Fcthard, Fethard, Fiachaidh Muilleathan, fosse, Gaelic Tiobraid Arann, Galtees, Golden Vale, High Crosses, Holy Cross Abbey, Ireland, Irish Church, Kerry, Kilcommon, Kilelispeen, Knockgraffon, Knockmealdowns, Limerick, Lismore, Lord Inchiquin, Lords Dunboyne, Lough Derg, Magh Feimhein, monastery, Munster, National Monument, Nenage, Normans, Oola, Ormond, Ormonde, Plantagenets, Privy Council, Rear Cross, River Glashauney, Roman Catholic, Romanesque, Rome, Roscrea, scenes, Shannon, Shevenaman, Spain, St. Edmund, St. Farannan, stones, Suir, Templemore, Thurles, Tickencor House, Tipperary, tower, Tudor, Tudors, Vicars Choral, Viking, Waterford. Comments: 4

Previous to the dissolution of the monasteries there were close on one hundred religious foundations in the province of Munster. Many of these were communities of importance; their ruins add much to the picturesqueness and interest of the province. In spite of the Reformation Ireland remained substantially a Roman Catholic country, and in many cases small bodies of monks faced the danger of persecution and returned in the seventeenth century to Ireland, leading a furtive existence amid the ruins of their former homes. One of the most interesting of the monastic remains in Munster are the ruins of Holy Cross Abbey, Co. Tipperary. This abbey was founded in 1169 a.d. by Domhnall O Briain king of Limerick, for monks of the Cistercian order; its possessions were confirmed to it by King John. A portion of the true Cross which had been presented to Donnchadh O Briain by Pope Pascal II in 1110 was preserved in a jewelled shrine of gold in the abbey, to which it gave its name : the monastery owed much of its wealth to offerings made by pilgrims at this shrine. The remains of the abbey arc extensive ; the cruciform church consists of an aisled nave, choir, the junction of the nave and choir. The eastern portion of the church has two storeys, the upper having probably served as a dwelling. The church was much altered and rebuilt in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries ; few traces of the original Romanesque building can now be seen. The fine cast window is reticulated, while those of the transept-chapels are filled with flowing tracery of Flamboyant type. The eastern portion of the church has many ornamental details, there being two especially remarkable pieces of carving, one in the chancel and the other in the south transept. That in the chancel is known as the Tomb of the Good Womans Son, but was evidently the sedilia. It lies three arches with foliage cusps and tracery surmounted by a canopy; above the arches are shields carved with the royal arms of England, of Butler, and of Desmond. It is probably of early fifteenth century date. Between the south transept chapels is the remarkable structure which has been sometimes considered to have been the sanctuary in which the relic of the Holy Cross was preserved ; it is, however, more probable that it was a waking chamber, a receptacle for a coffin. The roof of this monument is elaborately groined: the supporting pillars have twisted shafts, with bases, but no capitals ; the panelling below the shafts is carved with foliage similar to that on the sedilia: it is apparently of the same date. There are not many remains of the conventual buildings ; the cloister, which lay to the south, is now covered with grass ; the cellarium still exists at the west end : above this was the dorter of the lay brothers. The buildings on the south side of the cloister have disappeared.

Posted on April 17th, 2008 under Architecture. Tags: abbey, archbishop, Augustinian Priory, Cahir, Cahir Castle, carvings, Cashel, cathedral, choir, chpaels, church, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, coffin, Cormac MacCarthaigh, CromwellKiltinane, Desmond, Donaghmore, Earl of Essex, Earl of Glengall, England, Fcthard, Holy Cross Abbey, Ireland, Irish Church, Limerick, Lord Inchiquin, Lords Dunboyne, monastery, Munster, National Monument, Ormonde, Privy Council, River Glashauney, Roman Catholic, Romanesque, Rome, Spain, St. Edmund, St. Farannan, Tickencor House, tower, Tudor, Vicars Choral. Comments: 1