1. St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise

2. St. Ciaran’s early life
Clonmacnoise was founded by St. Ciarán, who was born around His father was a man called Beoit and his mother was called Darerca. His father was a carpenter and chariot maker. Ciarán was born and reared in an area that is in the present- day Roscommon. He had a number of brothers and sisters. Some of them also entered the religious life.

3. Ciaran’s childhood
As a young boy, Ciarán helped his family herd cattle and studied his lessons while out in the fields. When he was older, he went to study with St. Finian at Clonard, which is in modern-day Meath. He later studied on Aran with St. Enda, where he was ordained a priest.

4. Clonmacnoise
After spending time in various monasteries, Ciarán eventually founded his monastery at Clonmacnoise in January of 544. However, in September of the same year, he became very ill with a plague and died, only a young man in his early thirties. His feast day is September 9, the date on which he died. Despite the young age at which he died, he had managed to found a monastic school whose fame would endure down the centuries.

5. Geography of Clonmacnoise
Clomacnoise was ideally located at the crossroads in the heart of Ireland. It became a great centre of learning, trade and craftsmanship and attracted pilgrims from across the land. It was also a renowned school for training scribes. Whether you were travelling from north to south or from east to west, you were likely to pass through Clonmacnoise.

6. Community jobs
Many people lived and worked in Clonmacnoise. Like any community, people had different jobs and responsibilities. Monks worked as blacksmiths, carpenters and stonemasons. Some worked in the fields to produce food for the community.

7. The Scriptorium
Certain monks specialised in creating beautiful, valuable objects for the monastery. Monasteries usually had a room known as a scriptorium. There, monks worked on copying important manuscripts by hand. One of the manuscripts produced by the monks of Clonmacnoise was the Book of the Dun Cow. Monks also crafted objects out of precious materials like gold.

8. Life in common
Question: Why did men choose to come and live a monastic life at Clonmacnoise?
Answer: Clonmancoise was a centre renowned for learning about the Christian faith and a place where this faith was lived out on a daily basis. The monks prayed several times a day and celebrated Mass also. These were the high points of their day. They would also have welcomed travellers on the road and helped those in need as well as doing many jobs around the monastery. Many monks were inspired to leave Clonmacnoise after several years to spread the faith (evangelise) all over Europe. Many countries can trace their Christian heritage to the monks from Clonmacnoise.

9. The Book of the Dun Cow
Tradition has it that when Ciarán went to Clonard to study with St. Finian, he brought with him a cow so that he could have a steady supply of milk. The cow was an excellent milker. It supplied milk not only to Ciarán, but also to many more students at the monastery. When the cow died, its hide was kept.
The Book of the Dun Cow, p.55

10. The Book of the Dun Cow, or Leabhar na hUidre in Irish, is named after the hide. It is an ancient manuscript dating from the twelfth century. It was written in Irish at Clonmacnoise. The Book of the Dun Cow is the oldest surviving manuscript written in Irish. It contains the oldest versions of a number of famous Irish stories, such as the Táin Bó Cuailgne, or Cattle Raid of Cooley and the Voyage of Bran.
The Book of the Dun Cow, p.73

11. The Book of the Dun Cow was written before printing machines were invented, so it was all done by scribes. It contains beautiful lettering and illustrations. The leaves of the book are vellum, which is made from calf skin. The book has survived for over 900 years and is one of Ireland's national treasures. It is now kept in the library of the Royal Irish Academy.
The Book of the Dun Cow, p.99

12. The Whispering Arch
The cathedral at Clonmacnoise was originally built in 909. Over the centuries, it was added to and rebuilt. The doorway dates from around On the way into the cathedral, there is an archway known as the Whispering Arch. According to tradition, this is where the monks took confessions. A monk stood at one side of the arch, while the person making their confession stood at the other side and whispered their sins into the carvings in the stone. The sound carried through the arch and reached only the monk's ears.

13. Viking attacks
Life in the monastery was not always peaceful. The riches of the monastery attracted raids by the Vikings in the ninth century. Over the following centuries, it was plundered a number of times by thieves, who came from far and wide to help themselves to the monastery's precious objects.

14. Round towers at Clonmacnoise
This round tower at Clonmacnoise is about 17 metres high. It most likely acted as a bell tower for the church. It dates from about Unlike most round towers in Ireland, it has a door at ground level, rather than at a height from the ground.
The towers were also used for defensive purposes. The monks took their treasures and hid inside the tower where they would be safe from raiders. The doorway, high up in the wall, made it difficult for unwanted guests to gain entry.

15. High Cross
The Cross of the Scriptures (pictured right) at Clonmacnoise dates from around the year High Crosses acted as tools to teach the people about God. Scenes from the Bible are carved into the stone on all sides of this High Cross, including the arrest, betrayal and Crucifixion of Christ and the Last Judgment.

16. Visit of Pope John Paul II to Clonmacnoise
During his historic visit to Ireland in September and October of 1979, Pope John Paul II visited Clonmacnoise and prayed there. On returning to Rome, he said, 'I will never forget that place ... the ruins of the monastery and churches speak of the life that once pulsated there. Whole generations of Europe owe to them the light of the Gospel. These ruins are still charged with a great mission. They still constitute a challenge.'

17. Reference materials
The children of Clonown N.S. Athlone went on a field trip to Clonmacnoise, check out their website and find out all about it:
For further information/slideshow on Clonmacnoise visit:
For further information on the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland check out: m
Information for this presentation was obtained from: students/looking-at-places/offaly/clonmacnoise/crossroads- of-ireland/