The founding of a monastery at Clonmacnoise in the mid-6th century at an important crossing points in central Ireland paved the way for the development of a significant and wealthy community. This series of 11 studies, taken from a one-day conference, collates information from ten years of excavation and research into the monastery, church, cathedral and local environs. Individual papers focus on the pre-monastic environment, the early photographic records of Clonmacnoise and 18th century watercolours, the monastic town and cathedral, art and patronage, sculpture and coinage and the results of recent excavations. A well presented study.