Kilmacduagh Monastery
Description
Kilmacduagh Monastery is a ruined abbey near Gort, County Galway, founded in the 7th century by Saint Colman, son of Duagh, on land granted by his cousin King Guaire of Connacht. Its name means “church of Duagh’s son.”
The monastery became the seat of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh in the 12th century. It was raided several times and destroyed in the early 13th century by William de Burgh, after which local lord Owen O’Heyne founded a new Augustinian abbey. During the Reformation, the site passed to the Earl of Clanricarde.
The complex, often called “the seven churches,” includes the ruined cathedral (Teampuil Mor), several smaller churches, the Abbot’s House, and the notable round tower. The tower, dating from the 10th century, stands over 30 m tall and leans by more than half a metre, making it the tallest surviving round tower in Ireland.
The Diocese of Kilmacduagh is now part of the United Dioceses of Tuam and Limerick in the Church of Ireland, and in Catholic divisions, part of the Diocese of Galway.
Address
Kilmacduagh, County Galway, Ireland
Established
7th century AD