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Ruined monastery in County Offaly, Ireland
Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Clonmacnoise (pronounced as written, "Klon-mack-noyz") is a medieval monastery complex in County Offaly in the centre of Ireland. It was mostly abandoned during the 13th century, and today has nine ruined churches, a castle, two round towers and many carved stone crosses and cross-slabs. The adjacent village is tiny, with almost no visitor amenities, and most people come on day trips from Dublin or Athlone.
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Almost all the sites of Clonmacnoise are within the monastery compound, run by Heritage Ireland. Start at the Visitor Centre and Museum (housed in three conical huts) for a short AV presentation. The High Crosses here are the originals, with replicas outside, and there are several early Christian grave slabs. Then wander round the site at leisure, allow 90 min. Dogs on leads are permitted. The Visitor Centre has toilets and a cafe but is being re-built, so you may find temporary facilities but the site remains open.
Friendly guesthouse 1 km east of site.
Welcoming knowledgeable hosts, 1 km south of site.
Local Link Bus 850 runs six times a day from Athlone (on the Dublin-Galway railway), taking 35 min to Clonmacnoise and continuing to Shannonbridge, Banagher, Birr and Roscrea. On Sunday it continues to Thurles.
Read in the guideWalk around the site. There's wheelchair access into the visitor centre then along the west side of the compound, but beyond that are steps or you have to cross the grass.
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Charlestown · International · NOC
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