A Guide to Lough Corrib’s Early Monastic Sites

Whilst this Guide to Lough Corrib’s Early Monastic Sites is a simple guide it does seek to highlight much of our fast disappearing heritage, in the hope that such awareness might stimulate a determination to save and preserve it. It seems ironic that there are probably well over 150 foundations throughout the European continent that owe their origins to the outreach of this amazing early Irish monastic movement, and yet this is marked and celebrated to a far greater extent in Europe than in Ireland. The American, European and British interest in these early remains is quite considerable and something to which we should respond in far greater measure. These remains provide historical, heritage, architectural, academic and tourism opportunities, quite apart from the employment that can be generated through works of preservation and research. The Office of Public Works already have the excellent organisation, skills and talents to be able to extend their existing considerable portfolio of achievements in this area, to such further preservation.

This is a high-quality publication and with over 100 full colour plates it highlights 31 sites around Lough Corrib ranging from the magnificent and well-preserved remains of Cong, Ross Errilly and Claregalway to the obscurest piles of stones at Kilian (Grange) Church and the island of Inchiquinn where nothing remains except the memories of the most significant names and memories if its ancient hagiology.