Last Saturday I took a trip to an early Christian monastery at Cluain Mhic Nóis – Clonmacnoise.
The first monastery – made of wood - on the bank of Shannon River was founded by St. Ciáran about year 545. Unfortunately, St. Ciáran died shortly after founding the monastery. During the next 4 or 5 centuries this religious and cultural center was growing rapidly despite of being plundered couple of times both by the king of Cashel and by the Vikings who settled on the Lough Ree.
!0th century oratory a place of possible St. Ciáran’s grave
Each monastery was an independent religious and cultural and power center and sometimes they fought against each other. In the year 764 there was a battle between Clonmacnoise monastery and St Colmcille monastery in Durrow (co. Offaly). During that time Irish Christianity was almost independent and for sure wasn’t a Catholicism. There were different holidays dates, different cloaks and haircuts to the catholic monks. Moreover – the Irish saints wasn’t an angels – St Colmcille as a head of the clan Conail with a help of Connaught waged a war on the High King Diarmait that leaded to king’s defeat and dead of 3 thousand men.
In the beginning of 10th century the main church (later it gained cathedral status) was erected and one of the famous high crosses was founded too. Later, in 12th century two round towers appeared, but the highest one has been damaged by the struck of lightning. It may have been taken as a religious sign, especially when a couple of years later another lightning destroyed a St. Ciáran’s tree and killed many sheep that took a shelter during the storm.
Since end of 12th century the monastery had been loosing its importance and power due to the growing anglo-norman force in the area, and finally has fallen into ruin after the barbaric Cromwell’s war.
Today the monastery is a scenic ruins and cemetery. Unfortunately (yet again) it is very hard to get over there without a car. There are no buses – or if there is one then there is no information about that – from Athlone or Birr. The only way is to leave the bus from Nenagh to Athlone at Ballinahown and walk 10 km. I tried to get a lift, but hitchhiking is not a good idea in Ireland. It is not the worst, but there are a few better countries for hitchhiking (Scotland, England, Holland, Germany and Poland). Luckily I got a lift two times, from the middle of the way to Clonmacnoise and from Ballinahown to Birr.
Anyway, walking the way through out a peat land with dreary brown plains scarred with rails of the peat industry was also a good experience.
Abandoned trolley
There is another thing worth to be writen: I met a Gaeilge couple. That was the 2nd couple of Irish speakers I have met so far in Ireland.
Recent Comments