County Offaly - Towns

To the south-west of Tullamore, on the River Brosna, is the town of Clara. Five miles (8 km) further west on the road to Clonmacnois is Boher, where the twelfth-century shrine of St Manchan is preserved in the Catholic church. It is a yew box covered in embossed and enamelled metalwork, and was built to contain the relics of the saint around the year 1130.

Services in Clara

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The village of Cloghan lies along the N52. There are several good fishing lakes and rivers in the immediate vicinity.

Services in Cloghan

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Services in Clonbullogue

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Clonmacnoise, wonderfully sited on the water meadows of the River Shannon, remains one of Ireland's holiest places. Even in ruin, this monastic city of St Ciaran, with its cathedral and churches, its high crosses and round towers, its decorated grave-slabs and pilgrims' paths is a must for all visitors. Its story of stone, metal and manuscript is evocatively recalled in the adjoining visitor centre. The Centre houses the original high crosses, and grave-slabs and includes an audiovisual show (English, French, German, and Italian versions - 8 minutes long) as well as a number of exhibitions. In medieval times, the centre of veneration was the tomb of the founding saint, who lies buried here at what was once the centre of Ireland and where the main east-west roadway crossed the main north-south traffic artery of early Ireland, the River Shannon. The Shannon still brings many visitors by boat - but it was a helicopter which brought Clonmacnoise its most famous pilgrim-visitor, Pope John Paul II - who visited the site in 1979.

Services in Clonmacnoise

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In 1797 the Grand Canal was opened to Philipstown (Daingean). Daingean was once the stronghold of the O'Connors. It was named Philipstown in the reign of Philip and Mary and became the assize town for the county but this position was usurped by the rapidly expanding Tullamore in 1833.

Services in Daingean

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