"Meadow of the Sons of Nos - Like Nothing... " a Clonmacnoise Travel Page by Sagespot

Clonmacnoise would be one of my top two places to visit in all Ireland. Sitting close to the Shannon River, it was one of Ireland's most important monastic cities. Surrounded by a walled field and holding several early churches, high crosses, round towers, and graves it is a sight to behold.

Roughly translated, Clonmacnoise means "Meadow of the Sons of Nos."

Generally, Clonmacnoise was a huge ecclesiastical city with rather humble beginnings. St. Ciaran founded a monastery here in 548 AD as it was the most important crossroads in the country - the intersection of the north-south River Shannon and the east-west Esker Riada.

Between the 7th and 12th centuryies, monks form all over Europe came to study and pray here, helping to earn Ireland the title of the "land of saints and scholars." High kings of Connaught and Tara were buried here as well.

The site was burned and pillaged by just about everyone through the years. What you see today is mostly from the 12th century. In 1552 the English garrison from Athlone reduced the site to a ruin: "Not a bell, large or small, or an image, or an altar, or a book, or a gem, or even glass in a window, was left which was not carried away."

Many treasures survived through the years regardless of the fires and battles. Not the least of which is the famous Book of the Dun Cow, which now resides in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin.