Architecture in Offaly
Monastic Foundations
Where Leinster formerly contained (according to Ware, 1654) some forty-four religious foundations of various descriptions. A short account of the more important of these may commence with Clonmacnois, which is situated on the banks of the Shannon some nine miles from Athlone, Offaly. One of the most interesting early monastic settlements in western Europe, it was founded in A.D.. 547 by St. Ciaran, and rapidly grew in importance, becoming one of the greatest of the Irish monastic schools. Many famous names are connected with Clonmacnois, one of the best known being Tighearnach O Broin, abbot in a.d. 1088, author of the Annals of 
Tighearnach. The Irish Annals record continual plundering of Clonmacnois by both Norsemen and natives: it was almost entirely destroyed in 1552 by the English garrison of Athlone, who plundered and dismantled all the buildings. It is not therefore a matter of wonder that there arc few portable antiquities which can be definitely connected with the monastery; it is a subject of congratulation that the crosier of Clonmacnois, one of the most perfect and interesting of Irish crosiers, has survived; it is now in the Koval Irish Academys Collection in the National Museum, Dublin. It was found early in the nineteenth century, with a rosary of brass wire, a hollow ball of brass, and a chalice and wine vessel, in the church of St. Ciaran. Clonmacnois was rather a monastic city than a monastery ; its population included numerous lay per- sons living under a religious rule, as well as anchorites and monks. Of the twelve 
churches known to have existed. fight now remain in a more or less ruined state. Of these the must interesting are, the cathedral re-founded by King Flann and Abbot Colman in 904 a.d. (the north door of this building being a specimen of late Gothic, fifteenth century, work) ; St Finghins Church and round tower, of which there is little left but the chancel and round tower, both being probably of tweltth-century date ; and the Nuns Church. The Nuns Church, a beautiful little Romanesque building, is stated to have been restored by the unfortunate Queen 
Dearbhforgairi in 1180 a.d. , its chancel arch is one, of the finest specimens of Romanesque re- maining in Ireland. The round tower forming part of St Finghans Church lias already been mentioned. The second tower is known as ORourkes Tower; its construction being assigned by tradition to Fearghal O Ruairc, slain in 964. It is 622 It. in height with a base circumference of 58 ft. 8 inches. The remains of five High Crosses can be seen, but three of these are in a fragmentary condition. The so-called West and South Crosses are, however, complete, and arc worthy of study. The West Cross is a wheel cross, 13 ft. high ; it is inscribed, but the inscriptions are illegible. Its erection is attributed to Abbot Colman as a monument to King Flann. On one face of this cross is carved a 
representation of the Crucifixion ; its construction being assigned by tradition on the other that of the Last Judgment ; there are twelve panels on the shaft, three on each face, and each edge, carved with figure subjects. The South Cross, which is 12 ft. high, is made of three pieces. On the west face of the shaft is a representation of the Crucifixion ; the rest of the cross is covered with spirals, bosses, and interlaced work. The- feature that gives Clonmacnois its chief importance is the large series of inscribed cross slabs placed in the cemetery as 
memorials 1o persons buried there. There are just over two hundred of these slabs recorded ; they date from the eighth to tlie eleventh century. Tlie inscriptions are engraved in tlie Irish language and form the most important corpus of Christian inscriptions in Irish that with crosses and ornamented with fret and spiral patterns : the favourite type being a Latin cross having a round centre filled with spiral work, and expanded ends filled with fret patterns. It is of interest to note that at dallen Priory, Ferbane (about 7 miles from Clonmacnois), where a monastery was founded by St Mochonog in a.d. 492, a number of inscribed slabs have been discovered of the same type as those at Clonmacnois. They were probably carved by the same artists. The architectural remains of tlie ancient foundation of dallen have disappeared, but the ruins of a fifteenth-century church with a flamboyant east window can still be seen.
Ecclesiastical remains are to be seen at Rahan near Tullamore, Offaly (Hotels, Offaly, Ireland) County. A monastery was here founded about a.d. 580 by St Carrthach ; no remains of this ancient Celtic foundation are extant, but tire ruins of three churches, probably of twelfth- century date, built in tlie Romanesque style, remain. Of these, one is perfect; its chancel is of interest. It is a small stone-roofed structure with a remarkable chancel arch which consists of three rectangular piers rounded into semi-columns at their angles ; these support three semi-circular arches which are unornamented. The capitals are richly decorated with human heads, having flowing hair ; a remarkable feature is a highly ornamented circular window, which gave light to a room between the chancel and the roof, in which the priest resided. The other two churches are in a ruined condition ; the Romanesque doorway of one may, however, be noticed.
