CLONMACNOISE

This article appears in Volume V06, Page 555 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: CLI-COM

CLONMACNOISE , one of the most noteworthy of the numerous early religious settlements in Ireland, on the river Shannon, in King's county, 9 M. S. of Athlone. An abbey was founded here by St Kieran in 541, which as a seat of learning gained a European fame, receiving offerings, for example, from Charles the

Great

GREAT

, whose companion Alcuin the scholar received part of his education from the

great

GREAT

teacher Colcu at Conmacnoise. Several books of annals were compiled here, and the foundation became the seat of a bishopric, but it was plundered and wasted by the English in 1552, and in 1568 the diocese was united with that of Meath. The most remarkable literary monument of Clonmacnoise is the Book of the Dun Cow, written about 1roo, still preserved (but in an imperfect form) by the Royal Irish

Academy

ACADEMY, GREEK
ACADEMY, ROYAL

, and containing a large number of romances. It is a copy of a much earlier

original

ORIGINAL

, which was written on the skin of a favourite cow of St Kieran, whence the name of the

work

WORK

. The full title of the foundation is the " Seven Churches of Clonmacnoise," and remains of all these are extant. The Great Church, though rebuilt by a

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

named McDermot, in the 14th century, retains earlier remains in a fine west doorway; the other churches are those of Fineen, Collor, St Kieran, Kelly, Melaghlin and Dowling. There are two round towers; O'Rourke's, lacking the roof, but occupying a commanding situation on rising ground, is dated by Petrie from the early loth century, and stands 6a ft. in height; and McCarthy's, attached to Fineen's church, which is more perfect, but rather shorter, and presents the unusual feature of a doorway level with the ground, instead of several feet above it as is customary. There are three crosses, of which the Great

Cross

CROSS

, made of a single stone and 15 ft. in height, is splendidly carved, with tracery and

inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS (from Lat. inscribere, to write upon)

. It faces the

door

DOOR (corresponding to the Gr. Bbpa,. Lat. fores or valvae; the English word, with other forms common in allied languages, comes from the same Indo-European stem as the Gr. Obpa and Lat. fares)

of the Great Church, and is of the same date. A large number of inscribed stones dating from the 9th century and after are preserved in the churches. There are further remains of the Castle and Episcopal palace, a fortified building of the 14th century, and of a nunnery of the lath century. In the neighbourhood are seen striking examples of the glacial phenomenon of eskers, or

gravel

GRAVEL, or PEBBLE BEDS

ridges.

End of Article: CLONMACNOISE

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/CLI_COM/CLONMACNOISE.html">
CLONMACNOISE
</a>

(Previous)
CLONES

(Next)
CLONMEL

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email