Dísert Óengusa

Coordinates: 52°31′15″N 8°44′41″W / 52.520931°N 8.744713°W

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Dísert Óengusa
Monastery information

Location within Ireland
Other names	Disert-aengusa, St Aengus's Hermitage, Dysert Aenghusa, Dysert Oenghusa, Desert Oenghus^[1]
Order	Culdees
Established	AD 780
Diocese	Limerick
People
Founder(s)	Óengus of Tallaght
Architecture
Status	Inactive
Site
Location	Carrigeen, Croom, County Limerick
Coordinates	52°31′15″N 8°44′41″W / 52.520931°N 8.744713°W / 52.520931; -8.744713
Public access	Yes

National monument of Ireland
Official name	Dísert Óengusa Early Medieval Hermitage
Reference no.	83

Dísert Óengusa (Irish pronunciation: [ˈdʲiːʃəɾˠt̪ˠ ˈeːŋɡəsˠə]) is a medieval hermitage and National Monument located in County Limerick, Ireland.^[2]^[3]

Location

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Dísert Óengusa is located 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) west of Croom, near the headwaters of the River Maigue.^[4]^[5]

History

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Óengus of Tallaght (Óengus mac Óengobann, Óengus the Culdee, d. 824) is believed to have founded the hermitage in AD 780, leaving it two years later. It was associated with the Culdees.

The monastery is mentioned in the annals for 1033.^[6] Some early ruins on the site have been dated to the early 11th century.^[7]

The round tower was built in the 12th century. The present church, with antae, dates back to the 15th or 16th century.^[8] The church was abandoned in later centuries and fell into ruin.^[9]

Local folklore claimed the tower had been erected in a single night by a witch.^[10] It was visited and sketched by John Windele in 1833.^[11] Restoration work was carried out in 2019.^[12]

Remains

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The tower is 20.65 m (67.7 ft) tall with a diameter of 5.28 m (17.3 ft) and a Romanesque doorway 4.6 m (15 ft) above ground level.^[13] The church is a simple rectangle 15.5 m (51 ft) by 5 m (16 ft).^[10]

References

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^ Lincoln, Henry; Baigent, Michael; Leigh, Richard (31 May 2013). The Messianic Legacy. Random House. ISBN 9781448184675 – via Google Books.
^ Comerford, Patrick. "With the Saints in Lent (27): Saint Aengus, 11 March".
^ "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Celtic studies, history, linguistics and literature". The Academy. 20 November 2004 – via Google Books.
^ "Dysert Aenghusa". irelandxo.com.
^ "Dysert Aenghusa Round Tower". ie.geoview.info.
^ "Archivium Hibernicum: Or, Irish Historical Records". Catholic Record Society of Ireland. 20 November 1941 – via Google Books.
^ http://www.limerickcity.ie/media/NMAJ%20vol%2053%2005%20The%20Church%20Lands%20of%20the%20Diocese%20of%20Limerick,%20by%20Paul%20MacCotter.pdf ^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Dysert Oenghusa Church And Round Tower | Attractions | Churches, Abbeys and Monasteries | All Ireland | Republic of Ireland | Limerick | Croom | Discover Ireland". www.discoverireland.ie.
^ Ó'Carragáin, Tomás (20 November 2010). Churches in Early Medieval Ireland: Architecture, Ritual and Memory. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300154443 – via Google Books.
^ ^a ^b Ireland, Royal Society of Antiquaries of (20 November 1873). "Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland". Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland – via Google Books.
^ "Clogause na Deesart [Dysert Aenghusa], Carrigan Dysart, Crom [Croom], County Limerick August 1833".
^ "The Office of Public Works". www.opw.ie.
^ "Dysert Aenghusa Round Tower and Church".

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