Clonmacnoise

After an early morning flight and long queues for rental cars, we took the road less traveled and visited one of Ireland’s best kept secrets. Clonmacnoise is arguably one of the most interesting places to visit in Ireland. This is the island’s most prominent early Christian site and it’s located along the Shannon River.

The site was founded in 554 AD by Saint Ciarán and the settlement played a significant role in Middle Ireland.

Clonmacnoise is located right where the Shannon meets the Slighe Mhor – one of the Five Great Roads in medieval Ireland. This location meant Clonmacnoise became a key centre for learning and trade.

Visitors today can explore the ruins, see the Celtic Crosses and admire the round towers. There’s also a visitor centre that tells the story of Clonmacnoise wonderfully.

If there’s only one stop you do on your Dublin to Galway road trip, make it this one.

We absolutely absolutely loved our visit to Clonmacnoise (the Irish Cluain Mhic Nóis means the meadow of the sons of Nós) which was founded about 548 by St. Ciarán, the son of a wright or master craftsman.
Situated on an esker ridge overlooking a large area of bog through which the river Shannon flows, its location in earlier times was literally at the cross-roads of Ireland where the north/south artery of communication, the Shannon, crossed the major east/west route way along the gravel ridges of the glacial eskers.
This pivotal location contributed to the development of Clonmacnoise as a major centre of religion, learning, trade, craftsmanship and political influence. As the burial place of St. Ciarán, it has attracted pilgrims for nearly 1,500 years.
The site contains a number of churches varying in date from the 10th to the 17th century, a round tower, a castle, three stone crosses and a large collection of early grave-slabs.
With its large lay population, Clonmacnoise resembled a town rather than a monastery.
All of the domestic houses and buildings of the community were built of timber and have not survived although traces of them have been found during archaeological excavation.
The earliest churches were also built of timber but were replaced in stone from the 10th century onwards. The settlement would have been enclosed, probably by an earthen bank, although no clear trace of this survives.Leer más