Founded vi century · St. Molua

Roscomroe
Monastery

Roscomroe Monastery is located in the townland of Roscomroe, northeast of Roscrea and southeast of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, on a bend of the River Camcor. The site is a multi-period archaeological complex, with the remains of a medieval church and a well still visible today.

West gable of Roscomroe church, with its damaged window and bellcote — The west gable, with damaged window and bellcotePl. I

6th century

Founded, by local tradition, by St. Molua.

xii

12th century

Romanesque features date the surviving church.

1830

Reuse

Its stone builds the nearby Roman Catholic church.

2017

Survey

Geophysics reveals a possible early enclosure.

The Pattern, held annually at the well

4 August

According to local tradition, the monastery was originally founded by St. Molua in the 6th century AD/CE. This tradition continues today through the annual Pattern, a celebration of the saint’s feast day held at the well on 4 August.

A rag tree can also be found at the site.

Carved quern stone with concentric circles, found in Newtown — Quern stone found in Newtown, believed to be from Roscomroe parish churchPl. II

The Church

The surviving church remains include a west gable wall, which contains a damaged window and bellcote, along with parts of the northern and southern walls. The rest of the church survives mainly as wall foundations.

Romanesque architectural features suggest that the church dates from around the 12th century. In 1830, stone from the ruined church was reused to build the nearby Roman Catholic church in Roscomroe.

Plates IV – IX

Stones of the church

Interior view of the church ruins, showing the gable wall and its window with a flat head — Internal view of church ruins: original window head flatPl. IV

Rough dry-laid masonry wall beside the church, a grave marker in front — Perhaps the oldest masonry on the churchPl. V

Lichen-covered stone in a curved dry stone wall, known as the Bell Stone — The Bell StonePl. VI

Cracked curved arch stone lying in the graveyard grass — Arch stone perhaps used in the chancel areaPl. VII

Rounded architrave stone with a heart-shaped top, in the grass — Stone used for architraves to doors and windowsPl. VIII – IX

Pointed architrave stone with a small hole, in the grass — Stone used for architraves to doors and windowsPl. VIII – IX

The Abbot’s Treasure

“Before his capture, he hid the monastery’s treasures in the mill pond.”

To the north of the site there may have been a mill pond, and a millstone found in the graveyard has been reused as a grave marker. Local tradition tells of the Abbot of Roscomroe, supposedly captured and killed by soldiers of Elizabeth I led by Cromwell.

Large round-topped stone in the church yard, covered in lichen — Stone on site in Roscomroe church yardPl. X – XI

Lichen-covered stone block with a round hole through it — Stone on site in Roscomroe church yardPl. X – XI

Beneath the ground

June 2017

The gable seen from the graveyard — From the graveyardPl. XII

A geophysical survey was carried out at the site by Ashley Green of Bournemouth University and the IHS, at the request of Offaly County Council. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and resistivity techniques were used. The survey identified evidence of modern features, as well as a possible earlier structure and a curvilinear feature surrounding the church. This may represent an earlier enclosure dating back to the early medieval period.

Find the site

Roscomroe, Co. Offaly

Northeast of Roscrea and southeast of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.

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RoscomroeMonastery

Roscomroe, Co. Offaly

Roscomroe
Monastery