From Ballinasloe to Drumshanbo part 1: "Forgotten Locks" In our initial outing, we discover Clonmacnoise, perhaps Ireland's finest ruins. Here a monastery founded in 545 grew through centuries of medieval turmoil. First burned by Vikings in 844, it was coveted by both the Irish and Danes for its artistic and material wealth, and battled over for centuries. Today, the stunning waterside vista is home of the grave of Rory O'Conor, last High King of Ireland.