Ormond Historical Society outing to Clonfert
The next Ormond Historical Society field trip is to historic Clonfert in Co Galway.
It takes place on Sunday, July 13, next, and all are welcome to join us. Participants should meet outside Clonfert Cathedral for a 2.30pm start. The car journey from Nenagh to Clonfert takes approximately one hour. Those wishing to carpool or travel in convoy should meet at the Nenagh Courthouse carpark at 1pm.
The tour will take about two hours and our guide for the afternoon is Dr Christy Cunniffe. Christy – recently retired Community Archaeologist with Galway Co Council – has been involved with archaeology and heritage for more than 30 years and in 2020 was given the Heritage Hero Award for his work with local communities and heritage groups. He is an informative and entertaining guide with an intimate knowledge of his native Clonfert.
He will begin the tour with an account of St Brendan and the founding of the Early Christian monastery at Clonfert. He will discuss the architecture of the renowned medieval cathedral, with its 12th Century Romanesque doorway, regarded as the high point of Irish Romanesque.
The cathedral’s east window of early 13th Century date is a fine example of Transitional work and is matched by a very fine richly carved baptismal font. In the 15th century a bell tower and chancel arch were added to the cathedral. He will show us the carved ornamentation on the chancel arch and explain the religious symbolism behind these sculptures. We will also see a mix of Early Christian, medieval and 17th Century grave slabs, and a pair of painted oak panels from a 17th Century fireplace saved from the ruined Bishops’ Palace.
After our tour of the cathedral, we will visit a tree in nearby woodland known as St Brendan’s Tree or St Brendan’s Well. We will then walk to the famous avenue of yew trees known as the Nuns’ Walk. From there we will view the ruins of the Bishops’ Palace.
This building got burned in a fire in December 1954. Its last occupants were Sir Oswald Mosely – founder of the British Union of Fascists – and his wife Diana, one of the famous Mitford sisters. Our final stop will be the local Catholic church, where we will see a late 13th Century polychromed statue of the Madonna and Child, known affectionately as Our Lady of Clonfert.
There is some short walking involved, so participants should come in suitable footwear. Also, since much of the tour is outdoors, it is advisable to come weather prepared!
All are welcome to join us, and those unfamiliar with the route to Clonfert or wishing to carpool should meet at the Nenagh Courthouse car park at 1pm.