An Slí Mór and the Shannon
The Esker Riada is a natural feature of the Irish landscape. An esker is a long ridge of gravel which is left behind after a glacier has melted. The Esker Riada is particularly long. It runs from the east to the west of Ireland and divides the country into roughly two halves.
View of Clonmacnoise and the Shannon
Clonmacnoise was founded on the banks of the Shannon, where the river and the Esker Riada intersected. This meant that Clonmacnoise lay at the intersection of the two busiest routes in Ireland at that time.
View of Clonmacnoise and the Shannon
View of Clonmacnoise and the Shannon
Clonmacnoise was founded on the banks of the Shannon, where the river and the Esker Riada intersected. This meant that Clonmacnoise lay at the intersection of the two busiest routes in Ireland at that time.
The Esker Riada was known in times past as 'An Slí Mór' which means the Great Highway. People travelled from north to south along the Shannon. They travelled from east to west along the Slí Mór. The Shannon and An Slí Mór intersect at the place now known as Clonmacnoise.
A Tired Pilgrim
This is a statue of an exhausted pilgrim at the gates of Clonmacnoise. This modern sculpture represents the first pilgrim to travel to the monastic settlement.
A Tired Pilgrim
A Tired Pilgrim
This is a statue of an exhausted pilgrim at the gates of Clonmacnoise. This modern sculpture represents the first pilgrim to travel to the monastic settlement.
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.