Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise - fabulous carved crosses. These are the originals. Outside, there are copies to show how they looked in place.
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Carved on all sides
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And all the carvings are different
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On all four sides
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Lots of different patterns
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A cross with a halo is typical
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But the decoration on the cross varies
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Sometimes a lot from front to back
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Plaque? Grave marker? Nicely carved anyway
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Intricate knotwork on this column
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Different knots on this side
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And this side, too
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This was a big, famous monastery, with lots of buildings still standing, if incomplete.
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Towers were necessary because even in Catholic medieval Ireland, attacks on monasteries were frequent. According to Wikipedia, "It was attacked frequently during these four centuries, mostly the Irish (at least 27 times), the Vikings (at least 7 times) and Normans (at least 6 times)."
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The main church on the left
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Next to it, a chapel
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The tower again. The door is elevated, accessed by a ladder or wooden staircase in the old days. Why make it easy for raiders to get in?
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A copied cross in place on the grounds
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Side view
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The other side
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Graves in the church. Being buried near the church was good. Being buried inside was even better.
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A bit of wall
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Chapel
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Doorway
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Bell tower?
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Gable end of a building
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Another chapel
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Inside, with two small windows and graves
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There's a side window, too.
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Back of the chapel
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Temple Ciaran, early 10th century
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Another view
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Yes, it's small
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And mostly ruined
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But it reminds us of the smaller scale of early monastic centers.
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Another tower
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Another chapel
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The church
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Entrance to the church
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Nice, but I don't know what it is
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But this goes with it
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Temple Connor
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Temple Connor
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The odd tower from earlier. Four windows, no apparent way to get in. Is it a bell tower, or what?
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The Shannon River
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European robin.