Rattoo Round Tower
Located on the grounds of an ancient monastery, just outside the quaint Irish village of Ballyduff, you will find the spectacular Rattoo Round Tower.
Considered to be one of the finest examples of architecture of its type seen throughout the whole of Ireland, this is an absolute must-visit location when you are traveling to County Kerry.
Below, I have included all of the necessary information you will need to know about this beautiful, ancient attraction.
When Was It Built?
The specific age of Rattoo Round Tower is not known. The very earliest date on record in relation to the building is from the 6th century when Bishop Lughach founded a monastery.
It is, however, believed by many that the very ruins that you can go and visit today do not date back quite as far. Instead, elements of the ruins, such as the Tower itself, are believed to date back to the 10th century.
How Many Windows Does The Tower Have?
There are five remaining windows that you can discover. There are four windows towards the top of the tower with triangular gables, and roughly halfway down the tower on the east side, you will be able to spot a smaller window of the same design.
Where Is Rattoo Round Tower Located?
If you are looking to travel to the Tower, you will be happy to hear that it is heavily signposted and very easy to find. It is 2.4km from Ballyduff.
The key major road that you need to find and head towards is the R551, and it is from here that you will need to keep an eye out for the Tower signposts.
Signage is key because the tower itself can only be found by traveling down a small narrow road off of the main road. There are truly larger and more distinguishable farm roads, so you must be careful not to miss it.
The Breathtaking Church & Cemetery
Whilst you are visiting Rattoo Round Tower, you will see that it is not the only ruin contained on site. This is because there is also a church and cemetery located nearby.
The church itself, although the true construction date is not known, has an inscribed archway within the ruin, with the year 1667 easily identifiable. Although some believe that this inscription may been a later addition, perhaps when the church was undergoing repairs.
The true crown jewel of the ruin, however, is the spectacular double ogee-headed window that, considering its supposed age, is still in incredible condition.
The church itself is surrounded by a variety of graves within the cemetery. With a variety of vaults, headstones, and simple boulders in a mixture of sizes being used to mark graves, they too are also from a wide range of time frames.
For those that love history and discovering more about the destinations that they have traveled to, this is an absolute must-visit.
From the breathtaking views, the stunning architecture, and the fascinating historical significance, in my opinion, everyone visiting County Kerry must go and visit Rattoo Round Tower.
Check out my web pages on the Ring of Kerry Drive, The Skellig Ring and Slea Head Drive.