St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe

Killaloe sits where Lough Derg empties into the Shannon, and the cathedral was built around 1225 on the site of an earlier church associated with Flannan. Two things inside it are unusual. The first is the Thorgrim Stone: a shaft carved with an inscription in both ogham, the early Irish alphabet, and Scandinavian runes, saying in effect that Thorgrim carved this cross - the only stone in Ireland bearing both scripts, with just a couple of parallels on the Isle of Man, and evidence of the Norse presence around the Shannon in the eleventh century. The second is a Romanesque doorway of around 1180, richly carved, which was preserved by being built into the later cathedral's south wall rather than demolished. Also in the grounds is Saint Flannan's Oratory, a small stone-roofed twelfth-century church. Brian Boru's stronghold of Kincora stood in this town, though nothing of it survives above ground.

Highlights

• The Thorgrim Stone - ogham and Norse runes on one shaft, unique.
• The Romanesque doorway - around 1180, built into the later south wall.
• Saint Flannan's Oratory - a stone-roofed twelfth-century church in the grounds.
• The Shannon setting - where Lough Derg empties into the river.

When to go

April to October; it is a working cathedral with services that limit access. Opening outside summer can be restricted - check before making a special trip.

Good to know

An active parish cathedral, so access depends on services and volunteers. Free but donations are requested. Small - an hour covers it. Nothing survives of Brian Boru's Kincora.

Nearby

Killaloe and Ballina straddle the bridge; Lough Derg runs north.