Killala Round Tower,,County Mayo.

Killala Round Tower,,Built in the 12th Century,,Round Towers were used as Belfries and watchtowers in early Irish Monastries,,,this Tower is 25metres tall and stands on a low plynth ,,the round headed doorway is built3metres off the ground for Security,,Built as part of a Monastic Settlement,,which contained small oratories for private Prayer,,Cells for the Monks to sleep,,Graveyards and Community Church,,probally on the site where the present Church of Ireland Cathedral now stands,,,the original monastic site probably goes back to the 5th centuary a.d.,,when St.Patrick appointed Muiredach as first Bishop of Killala.in reference to the bulge on the side of the Tower,,the Tower was struck by lightning in the middle of the 19th century,,the damage which was repaired in 1840 left some of the stonework bulging on one side.