Architecture

Architecture

An early foundation (about the middle of the seventh century a.d.) which falls within this province is that of St Feichin, at. Fore, situated on the north side of Lough fene, Co. Westmeath. The church of St Feichin has a remarkable Cyclopean doorway with sloping jambs and a massive lintel. Above tlie door is a projecting tablet, having carved upon it a cross contained in a circle. This massive doorway, with its sloping jambs and cross- inscribed lintel, is similar to doorways in Syria : it furnishes another link between early Irish Christianity and the East. Close to the church is an anchorites cell, used by a succession of hermits, the last being Patrick Biglin, who died in a.d. 1680. Walter de Lacy built a monastery here in 1209 dedicated to St Ecichin and St Taurin, and filled it with Benedictine monks from the abbey of St Evreux in Normandy. The ruins of this abbey and St Feichins church have recently been vested in the Irish Board of Works. Other re- mains at Fore include the ancient gateways of the town and some Termon crosses.

Athlone Castle, Athlone, is situated on the borders of Westmeath (Self Catering, Westmeath, Ireland) and Roscommon. Its former name was Ath mor, the great ford across the Shannon. This was changed to Ath luain (Athlone) because the brown bull of the Tain Bo Cuailgne was supposed to have dropped the loin of his rival, the white bull, at this spot. The passage across the Shannon commanded by Athlone is one of the most important strategic points in Ireland, and from early times has played a great part in Irish history. In the sixteenth century it was suggested That the residence of the Deputy should be moved from Dublin to Athlone. The most interesting antiquity of Athlone is the castle; it consists of the keep, protected by a retaining wall all round, and two towers on the river side. Mr G. H. Orpen, who has made an ex- haustive study of this castle, conjectures that a mote castle was probably erected at Athlone shortly before A.D. 1210. On this mote was built a stone tower, which fell in 1211. It was at once rebuilt and entrusted to the custody of Geoffrey de Costentin before 1215. The towers above alluded to, and the retaining wall, probably belong to the reign of Edward I