'Cormac's Chapel' : Church
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Visit Notes
Monday, 12th August 2002
I really don't think I can do this wonder justice, but I'll try. As you approach the recently cleaned building the south wall comes alive. The fine romanesque doorway, topped with the Lamb of God on the tympanum. The detail around the door is of zig-zags and lozenges. Worn Corbels featuring heads line the walls just below the roof.
Inside you are greeted by a large sarcophagus with beautiful carvings. The barrel vaulted ceiling overhead is wonderful. The arch leading into the chancel is covered in heads, staring down. High up in the chancel more heads look down.
Around the nave half columns are topped by some wonderful sculptures including a tongue protruder and a column swallower. The inside of the south wall is finely details with geometric patterns.
Outside on the north gets better, and this is the part most people overlook, due to it being just a blind alley. The walls possess some amzingly well preserved grotesque heads and other carvings. This wonderful state of preservation has been provided by the sheltered position.
The north door is fantastic. I kept looking and staring and trying to take it all in. I was eventually dragged away from this by my family. The tympanum boasts a centaur and lion. The capitals of the twisted columns are decorated with two jaw biting monsters on one side and a fish tailed monster on the other. Above the door are wonderful zig-zags and chevrons forming the arch and above that huge rosettes.
High up beneath the roof are some, again well protected, heads. There are some very nice horse or dragon heads on the north east part of the church.
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_How Other People Have Rated This Monument
| mrliterature from California |  |
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| Uwe from Leinfelden-Echterdingen (Germany) | |
| Apostraphy Newry from Co.Newry | |
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_Random Gazetteer
A Selection of Other Churches
 St. Brigit's Church (Co. Clare) |  Aghowle Lower (Co. Wicklow) |  Mellifont Abbey (Co. Louth) |
 St. Patrick's Chapel (Co. Dublin) |  St. Comcille's Abbey (Co. Donegal) |  Dalkey Island (Co. Dublin) |
About Coordinates Displayed
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This is an explanation of (and a bit of a disclaimer for) the coordinates I provide. Where a GPS figure is given this is the master for all other coordinates. According to my Garmin these are quite accurate. Where there is no GPS figure the 6 figure grid reference is master for the others. This may not be very accurate as it could have come from the OS maps and could have been read by eye. Consequently, all other cordinates are going to have inaccuracies. The calculation of Longitude and Latitude uses an algorithm that is not 100% accurate. The long/lat figures are used as a basis for calculating the UTM & ITM coordinates. Consequently, UTM & ITM coordinates are slightly out. UTM is a global coordinate system - Universal Transverse Mercator - that is at the core of the GPS system. ITM is the new coordinate system - Irish Transverse Mercator - that is more accurate and more GPS friendly than the Irish Grid Reference system. This will be used on the next generation of Irish OS maps. |
