| Tralee Times This Page Is Updated Regularly Tourism Ancient Places In North Kerry |
Ardfert Cathedral and Monastic Site
Ardfert, Co. Kerry
Location:
10 km from Tralee on the R551 in Ardfert Village
Open:
Early May to Late September
Telephone:
+353 (0)66 7134711
Ardfert was once the eccleastical capital of Kerry. Brendan the Navigator [1] founded a monastery in Ard Fhearta in the
6th Century and it later became the headquarters of the Anglo-Norman Church in Kerry. There are three Medieval
Churches, an Ogham Stone [2] , and a number of early Christian and medieval grave slabs on the site today.
The earliest building on the site, the Cathedral, dates from the 12th to 17th centuries. The west doorway is a fine
example of Romanesque [3] architectural style. To the east is a fine example of a 13th century window. A row of nine
lancets [4] are found along the south wall. Clearly visible on the north wall is a 12th century block of masonry.
One of the smaller churches on the western part of the site is late Romanesque style, while the other is plain 15th
century with a carving of a wyvern [5], on one of the windows.
In the graveyard on the site, there is a number of ancient tombs and a 5th century stone carved with ogham characters.
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Franciscan Friary,
Ardfert, Co. Kerry
Location:
10 km from Tralee on the R551 just outside Ardfert Village
near the local GAA pitch about a mile distance north-east of the
Cathedral
Open:
All year
The church and transept chapel are complete, as is the tower, which is situated in an unusual position; a small section
of the convent still stands, with the cloister; the friary church should be visited in conjunction with the almost identical
cathedral.
The friars were invited to the area by Thomas FitzMaurice [1] about the year 1253. It remained a Conventual foundation
[2] to about 1517 and was taken over as a barracks in 1584. The friars returned in 1613, after which they came and
went as circumstances permitted throughout the rest of that century and afterwards until at least as late as 1763.
The friary has a rectangular church with a south transept [3] and a south aisle. The transept has a west aisle. There are
five lancet [4] windows in the east wall and nine lancet windows in the south wall. Also in the south wall are a number of
tomb niches and a possible sedilia [5].There are two tomb niches in the north wall. The cloister lies to the north of the
church. The east of the cloister walk is intact and the south cloister arcade is in present. There are four three-light bays
on each side. A two-storey building to the east of the cloister has vaulted rooms at ground floor level and the remains of
a spiral stairway at the south end. At the west end of the church is a fine tower rising to six storeys. It is vaulted above
the first floor. The upper levels are reached initially by an external stairway. There is another vault above the third floor.
At the second floor there is a small mural chamber which may be a garderobe [6]. Two stairways lead from this level to
the north and south roof of the church. The roofway is intact on the south side. Another stairway leads to the higher
levels of the tower. Above the second vault are two more storeys and another small mural chamber at the fourth floor.
Beyond the fourth floor level the stairway becomes a spiral and rises to roof level. At the fourth and fifth floors there are
good window seats. There is a small guard chamber to the right of the entrance from the external stairway. On the
outside of the south wall between the church and the tower is a good squinch [7] carried on corbels [8]
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Ratoo Round Tower,
Ballyduff,
Co. Kerry
Location:
Outside the village of Ballyduff on the R551
Open:
The Round Tower is on private property and can be viewed from the adjoining car park.
Ratoo Round Tower dates from the 10th Century AD and is one of Ireland's finest examples of round towers. Even today
the tower is complete and it retains its conical stone roof. The doorway is 3 metres from the ground on the east side and
there are four narrow windows in the tower pointing to the main four points of the compass.
The tower, unusually, is situated outside of the walls of the ruined 15th Century AD church. The current ruined church
dates from the 12th Centruy AD. Tha Augustinian order took over the church and it was later burned in 1600 AD.
Ardfert, Co. Kerry
Location:
10 km from Tralee on the R551 in Ardfert Village
Open:
Early May to Late September
Telephone:
+353 (0)66 7134711
Ardfert was once the eccleastical capital of Kerry. Brendan the Navigator [1] founded a monastery in Ard Fhearta in the
6th Century and it later became the headquarters of the Anglo-Norman Church in Kerry. There are three Medieval
Churches, an Ogham Stone [2] , and a number of early Christian and medieval grave slabs on the site today.
The earliest building on the site, the Cathedral, dates from the 12th to 17th centuries. The west doorway is a fine
example of Romanesque [3] architectural style. To the east is a fine example of a 13th century window. A row of nine
lancets [4] are found along the south wall. Clearly visible on the north wall is a 12th century block of masonry.
One of the smaller churches on the western part of the site is late Romanesque style, while the other is plain 15th
century with a carving of a wyvern [5], on one of the windows.
In the graveyard on the site, there is a number of ancient tombs and a 5th century stone carved with ogham characters.
__________________________________________________________________
Franciscan Friary,
Ardfert, Co. Kerry
Location:
10 km from Tralee on the R551 just outside Ardfert Village
near the local GAA pitch about a mile distance north-east of the
Cathedral
Open:
All year
The church and transept chapel are complete, as is the tower, which is situated in an unusual position; a small section
of the convent still stands, with the cloister; the friary church should be visited in conjunction with the almost identical
cathedral.
The friars were invited to the area by Thomas FitzMaurice [1] about the year 1253. It remained a Conventual foundation
[2] to about 1517 and was taken over as a barracks in 1584. The friars returned in 1613, after which they came and
went as circumstances permitted throughout the rest of that century and afterwards until at least as late as 1763.
The friary has a rectangular church with a south transept [3] and a south aisle. The transept has a west aisle. There are
five lancet [4] windows in the east wall and nine lancet windows in the south wall. Also in the south wall are a number of
tomb niches and a possible sedilia [5].There are two tomb niches in the north wall. The cloister lies to the north of the
church. The east of the cloister walk is intact and the south cloister arcade is in present. There are four three-light bays
on each side. A two-storey building to the east of the cloister has vaulted rooms at ground floor level and the remains of
a spiral stairway at the south end. At the west end of the church is a fine tower rising to six storeys. It is vaulted above
the first floor. The upper levels are reached initially by an external stairway. There is another vault above the third floor.
At the second floor there is a small mural chamber which may be a garderobe [6]. Two stairways lead from this level to
the north and south roof of the church. The roofway is intact on the south side. Another stairway leads to the higher
levels of the tower. Above the second vault are two more storeys and another small mural chamber at the fourth floor.
Beyond the fourth floor level the stairway becomes a spiral and rises to roof level. At the fourth and fifth floors there are
good window seats. There is a small guard chamber to the right of the entrance from the external stairway. On the
outside of the south wall between the church and the tower is a good squinch [7] carried on corbels [8]
____________________________________________________________________
Ratoo Round Tower,
Ballyduff,
Co. Kerry
Location:
Outside the village of Ballyduff on the R551
Open:
The Round Tower is on private property and can be viewed from the adjoining car park.
Ratoo Round Tower dates from the 10th Century AD and is one of Ireland's finest examples of round towers. Even today
the tower is complete and it retains its conical stone roof. The doorway is 3 metres from the ground on the east side and
there are four narrow windows in the tower pointing to the main four points of the compass.
The tower, unusually, is situated outside of the walls of the ruined 15th Century AD church. The current ruined church
dates from the 12th Centruy AD. Tha Augustinian order took over the church and it was later burned in 1600 AD.
