Tucked into the southwest corner of a Church of Ireland churchyard along the busy Galway-Limerick road, the remains of Ardrahan’s round tower offer a sobering glimpse of what happens when ancient monuments are left to nature’s devices. Less than half of the original stump survives, built directly into the cemetery wall about eight miles north of Gort.

The tower’s story is largely one of neglect and gradual decay. For years, the surviving stonework was completely smothered by ivy, elder trees, and brambles that slowly but steadily loosened the ancient masonry. A rough clearing in the 1970s revealed the extent of the damage, but also exposed the quality of the original construction.

What remains shows the skill of medieval stonemasons. The stones are beautifully dressed to follow the tower’s curve, with some blocks measuring up to 1.4 meters in length and 60 centimeters in height. An offset visible about 80 centimeters from ground level suggests the typical base design of Irish round towers, while the remaining wall thickness of 1.4 meters indicates this was a substantial structure in its day.

The tower appears to have been built from local limestone, though the style differs markedly from the massive construction of nearby Kilmacduagh. Instead, it’s more reminiscent of the tower at Kilcoona, suggesting possible regional building traditions or different construction periods.

Unfortunately, no historical records survive to tell us when this tower was built, by whom, or when it fell into ruin. The site contains no other early medieval remains, making the tower something of an archaeological orphan. Root systems continue to work their way between the stones, and the interior remains choked with vegetation, making proper archaeological study difficult.

The surviving stump stands about 2.9 meters above the lowest ground level, representing perhaps only a fraction of the tower’s original height. It serves as a reminder of how many Irish round towers have been lost to time, neglect, and the simple passage of centuries.