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| CLOYNE ABBEY, COUNTY CORK. -Irish annalists assert that the Bishopric of Cloyne, the the County of Cork, dated from the sixth century, and the Abbey, which has been partially restored, dates from a period almost as remote. Unlike most edifices of its kind in Ireland, it is small, and what may be called, without irreverance, "squatty" in size and shape. It is doubtful if it ever possessed a tower or spire-at least no trace of either remains at the present time. The building is a cruciform design, with a nave, choir, and north and south transepts. St. Coleman's chapel, a small building within the precincts of a neighboring graveyard, is said to contain the relics of the ancient saint, which repose under the venerable trees that beautify the sacred spot. The round tower, which also appears in the picture, was once among the finest ruins of its class in Ireland. But, in January, 1794, it was struck by a thunderbolt and partially wrecked. The conical roof was forced in, carrying three floors with it, and bulging out one side of the tower. No attempt has been made to renovate it, although the expense would not be great, and pictures of the unmutilated structure are, no doubt, in existence. |
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