04 Jul Ardmore Round Tower, County Waterford
Ardmore, with its smooth beach, its colour washed cottages, and green fields, is the pleasantest of places to see on any tours of Ireland.
It was once an Episcopal seat, which for centuries ranked amongst the high places of Ireland.
It is said to have been founded by Saint Declan, who travelled to Rome then returned to Ireland.
He is said to have landed at Ardmore in the year 402 to teach his countrymen the true faith.
That is even before the more famous Saint Patrick was in Ireland.
Apart from the impressive round tower there are the ruins of his church nearby.
His Oratory, a rude hut, still stands.
The tower is 97 feet high.
It has a diameter at the base of 15 feet.
The door is 13 feet above ground level.
In 1841, excavations in the base of the tower, revealed two skeletons.
They were laid in a bed of sifted earth.
Above this was a floor of concrete, over which were four successive layers of large stones.
The stones were closely fitted and overlaid by a floor of smoothed concrete.
These are the hidden gems to see with Ireland and Scotland Luxury Tours.