Clonard Abbey, Early medieval monastery in Clonard, Ireland.

Clonard Abbey is an early medieval monastic site in County Meath, set close to the River Boyne. The remains on the ground include foundation walls and low earthworks, with a modern Catholic church and a burial ground occupying part of the same land.

The monastery was founded around 520 by Saint Finnian and quickly grew into one of the leading places of learning in early medieval Ireland. Repeated Viking raids during the 9th and 10th centuries slowly reduced its strength, leaving the fragmentary remains visible today.

The Irish name Cluain Ioraird means "Erard's Meadow", though the monastery honours Saint Finnian, who was buried here around 549. Medieval chronicles say an angel led him to the spot and told him it would be the place of his resurrection. The site lies on the Esker Riada, the early medieval east-west road across Ireland.

The site is open to walkers without a formal entrance, though the ruins are not fenced off or protected by a shelter. Sturdy footwear is a good idea since the ground can be uneven and wet, especially after rain.

The hymn in Finnian's honour claimed the school taught 3,000 pupils at any one time, far more than the twelve Apostles of Ireland who studied here in the 6th century. The site sits on the Esker Riada, the natural ridge that served as Ireland's main east-west road, and from the air the outlines of wall boundaries and earthworks can still be traced.