21/02/2006

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Mayor Thérèse Ridge on behalf of  South Dublin County will launch a new book by the Clondalkin Local Historian, Joe Williams on Wednesday 22nd February at 7.30pm.

Appropriately, the book is being launched in St. John’s Church, Tower Road, close to the Round Tower at the centre of what was Early Christian Clondalkin. The book, entitled St. Mochua and the Round Tower tells of the early monastic settlement at Clondalkin, of St Mochua and of Clondalkin Round Tower.

Clondalkin was a very important monastic settlement and its influence spread not just through the Clondalkin area but also through North Kildare where there are a number of monastic settlements attributed to St. Mochua.

The coming of Christianity to Ireland and its spread by missionaries such as St. Kevin, St. Ciaran and St Mochua are explored.

Clondalkin Round Tower is the foremost National Monument in the Clondalkin area and is a well-known sight to all visitors to the area and for many years the Round Tower has featured on postcards of the area. This book helps to explain its origin and functions.

The author is a well-known local historian in the Clondalkin area and is an active member of Clondalkin History Society.

Copies of the book may be purchased from Clondalkin Library, from Mannions Newsagents, Monastery Road and from other outlets in the Clondalkin area, priced at €5.00.

For further information, please contact Kieran Swords or Síle Coleman, Local Studies Section, County Library, Town Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24, phone 4620073, e-mail localstudies@sdublincoco.ie.