Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [446]
HIGH CROSSES
There’s a real sense of drama as you descend to the foot of the imposing sandstone Cross of the Scriptures, one of Ireland’s finest. It’s very distinctive, with unique upward-tilting arms and richly decorated panels depicting the Crucifixion, the Last Judgement, the arrest of Jesus, and Christ in the tomb.
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DETOUR: SHANNON HARBOUR & AROUND
Just 1km east of where the Grand Canal joins the River Shannon, sleepy Shannon Harbour is a tiny but picturesque town that was once a thriving trading centre. A purpose-built village constructed to serve the waterways, it was home to over 1000 people in its heyday. Along with cargo boats, passenger barges ran from here, many of which took poor locals on their first leg of a long journey to North America or Australia.
Today the waterways are again teeming with boats and walking paths stretching in all directions, making Shannon Harbour an interesting stop for walkers, fishers, boaters and birders. The original 1806 Harbour Master’s House ( 057-915 1532; gkirwan@iol.ie; s/d from €50/70; mid-Mar–Dec; ) is run by the daughter of a former harbour master and overlooks the canal. It has five guest rooms decked out in traditional style. Nearby are two lively pubs.
The village is about 10km northeast of Banagher off the R356. Nearby, 16th-century Clonony Castle ( 087 761 4034; www.clononycastle.ie) is enclosed by an overgrown castellated wall. Tales that Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, was born here are unlikely to be true, but her cousins Elizabeth and Mary Boleyn are buried beside the ruins. The castle is open to visitors during the summer months when workers doing restoration are around; donations are appreciated.
Not far from the castle, The Rectory ( 090-645 7293; www.therectory.ie; Deerpark; s/d €45/70; ) is a really lovely old house set in mature gardens. The tranquil guest rooms are lovingly decorated in neutral tones, with crisp white linens and a touch of period style. Deerpark is off the R357, 1.5km from Clonony Castle.
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Only the shaft of the North Cross, which dates from around AD 800, remains. It is adorned by lions, convoluted spirals and a single figure, thought to be the Celtic god Cernunnos (or Cernenus), who sits in a Buddha-like position. The richly decorated South Cross has mostly abstract carvings – swirls, spirals and fretwork – and, on the western face, the Crucifixion plus a few odd cavorting creatures.
CATHEDRAL
The biggest building at Clonmacnoise, the cathedral was originally built in AD 909, but was significantly altered and remodelled over the centuries. Its most interesting feature is the intricate 15th-century Gothic doorway with carvings of Sts Francis, Patrick and Dominic. A whisper carries from one side of the door to the other, and this feature was supposedly used by lepers to confess their sins without infecting the priests.
The last high kings of Tara – Turlough Mór O’Connor (died 1156) and his son Ruairí (Rory; died 1198) – are said to be buried near the altar.
TEMPLES
The small churches are called temples, a derivation of the Irish word teampall (church). The little, roofed church is Temple Connor, still used by Church of Ireland parishioners on the last Sunday of the summer months. Walking towards the cathedral, you’ll pass the scant foundations of Temple Kelly (1167) before reaching tiny Temple Ciarán, reputed to be the burial place of St Ciarán, the site’s founder.
The floor level in Temple Ciarán is lower than outside because local farmers have been taking clay from the church for centuries to protect their crops and cattle. The floor has been covered in slabs, but handfuls of clay are still removed from outside the church in the early spring.
Near the temple