Drumcliff Church and Round Tower

About

Drumcliff Monastery (Irish: Mainistir Dhroim Chliabh) was located in Cairbre Drom Cliabh, now County Sligo, five miles north of the modern town of Sligo. The site consists of the remains of a round tower and several high crosses, including one outstanding example. It is currently also the site of a Church of Ireland parish church and a graveyard. It is the burial place of the poet William Butler Yeats. Founded in the 6th century by Saint Colmcille, he is said to have declared in a later literary fragment:

Drumcliff was founded as a monastery in 574 AD, at the base of Benbulben by Saint Colmcille in the territory of Cairbre Drom Cliabh, an area ruled by the Cinel Cairbre descendants of Cairbre Mac Neill son of Niall of the Nine Hostages the founder of the Ui Neill dynasty. The site was probably donated by the northern Ui Neill High king and relative of Colmcille, Aed Ainmire.

The monastery was located on the south bank of the river Codhnach, now the Drumcliff river that runs from Glencar lake to the sea at Drumcliff bay. The monastery was on land near the site of the Battle Of The Book that took place about the year 560, 15 years before the monasteries foundation. Colmcille had taken part in this battle.

The termonn lands attached to the monastery were at the modern townland of Ardtermon (meaning "High Sanctuary") several miles to the west.

The early church in Ireland may have been organised in imitation of the Diocesan model, which was an urban model with metropolitan Bishops having power. This quickly gave way to a monastic system organised in a more decentralised manner more suited to the Irish system of political organisation. Clans and their territories, known as tuatha, were organised into confederations, and the Irish monasteries began to conform to this pattern, with the founder of a monastery becoming, in a similar way to the founder of a dynasty, the head of, in Latin, a familia or paruchia, a group of confederated monasteries.

Drumcliff was an early member of the "paruchia Columbae", the confederation of monasteries that was headquartered at Iona. The Cenél Conaill dynasty, to which Colmcille himself belonged, was the chief patron and ally of the confederation from its founding until the eighth century.

The Columban paruchia in Ireland flourished during the eighth century AD under the aegis of the Southern Uí Néill branch of the Clann Cholmáin. This power was both ecclesiastical and political through alliances with secular rulers.

Thereafter in the ninth century it was eclipsed in power by the Patrician paruchia based at Armagh. The reign of the Cenél nEogain overking Áed Oirdnide, was detrimental to Columban fortunes, as this king was openly hostile towards the Columban community Armagh, the head of the Patrician paruchia, saw itself as the ‘Rome of the Irish’, and sought to extend its power using its associations with Patrick, and therefore Rome, and also to take advantage of the fact that the Columban federation had been mired in controversy during the debates over Easter.

Increasing Viking attacks also took their toll, leading in 804 to the relocation of the head of the Columban monasteries from Iona to Kells.

The Columban federation enjoyed close relations with the Ceile De and Drumcliff may have had a community of this group.

A Saint Thorian or Mothorian was appointed the first abbot or comharba (successor) of St Columba. A later abbot, Saint Torannon who died in 921 AD, was regarded as the patron of the area.

The Erenagh of Drumcliff were O' Beollain (Boland) and O'Coineil.

To the east of the monastery in the townland of Ballynagalliagh ( Baile na Caillech ), or in the townland of Keelty, the location remains uncertain, was a church dedicated to Saint Muadhnat. She is said to be one of the three "daughters of Nadfraech" and sister of Saint Molaise of Devenish. The other two sisters are Saint Osnat and Saint Tallulah (Tuilelaith) of Kildare.

Osnat, Virgin. These three were the three sisters of Molaise of Daimhinis."

The 12th-century text the Colloquy of the Sages mentions while describing a journey of the Fenian warriors through the district that they travelled "to Cailli in Chosnuma, called Cill Muadnatan."

Saint Osnats church exists in the valley of Glencar, formerly Geann Dallain, nearby.

Around 1223 the church lands at Ballynagalliagh became attached to the Arroasian Augustinian convent at Kilcreevanty near Tuam. This order was known for providing service to travellers.

- 871 Dunadhach, son of Raghallach, Lord of Cinel Cairbre -Mor, Protector of the roaring shore, pious warrior of the sons of Conn, was interred under hazel crosses in Drumcliff. AFM

- 921 AD the Abbot Maolpatrick, son of Moran died. AFM

- 1029 the erenagh Angus O Hennesy was burned to death. AFM