Editing Architecture of Ireland (section)

==Early Christian Ireland==
[[File:Wexford Irish National Heritage Park 08 Monastery 02.jpg|thumb|Recreation of an early Christian [[Monastery]] at the [[Irish National Heritage Park]]]]
One feature not usually found outside Ireland is the [[Irish round tower|round tower]], such as that at [[Clonmacnoise]] in [[County Offaly]] or the one on [[Devenish Island]] near [[Enniskillen]] in [[County Fermanagh]]. These were usually built within the [[monastery|monasteries]] that sprang up all over the island, as the country became the "land of saints and scholars". They were possibly defensive in nature, serving as lookout posts and a place of refuge during an attack (the door to such structures was usually quite high off the ground).<ref>{{cite book |last=De Breffny |first=Brian |author-link= |date=1983 |title=Ireland: A Cultural Encyclopedia |url= |location=London |publisher=Thames and Hudson |page=207 |isbn=}}</ref> Viking raids on Ireland's shores and monasteries were relatively common. [[St. Cronan's Church, Tuamgraney|St. Cronan's Church]] in [[Tuamgraney]], [[County Clare]], a [[Romanesque architecture|pre-Romanesque]] church which dates from the 10th century, is the oldest church in continuous use in both [[Ireland]] and [[Great Britain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/through-the-door-of-history-1.306374|title=Through the door of history|website=Irishtimes.com|access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/summers-past-nuala-o-faolain-cycles-from-dublin-to-lahinch-1989-1.2320949|title=Summers Past: Nuala O'Faolain cycles from Dublin to Lahinch, 1989|website=Irishtimes.com|access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref> [[File:Condado de Wicklow - Glendalough - 20170827112554.jpg|thumb|175px|right|The round tower in [[Glendalough]], Ireland, is approximately 30 metres tall]]

Eventually, some Vikings settled permanently in Ireland, and the main cities were established by the [[Vikings]]. Although no buildings from that era are now intact, some street arrangements have their origins in the original Viking layouts. Remains of Viking dwellings have been discovered in many locations, but notably at [[Wood Quay]] in Dublin, [[King John's Castle (Limerick)|King John's Castle]] in [[Limerick]] and near [[Waterford]] (where what is thought to be the original settlement at Waterford has been uncovered in 2004 during construction of the city's [[ring road]]).