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Major city · Ireland

ClonesCluain Eois

Half a day on foot for the abbey cross and round tower, then move on: Clones is a stop, not a base — one night only if you want the pubs.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (wet, dark, few events)
Airports
DUB · BFS · BHD
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.

Clones is a small border town in north County Monaghan, population about 1,900, close to a border with Northern Ireland that twists in and out of the town. The Diamond square holds the remains of an abbey: a carved 10th-century high cross, a truncated 9th-century round tower and a sarcophagus said to hold St Tiernach. The town itself is walkable in an hour or two; the wider county needs a car. Most travellers pass through on the way between Dublin, Cavan and Enniskillen, or come for a GAA match at St Tiernach's Park.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Clones, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub lunch or main course€12–20 (≈ US$14–25)
  • BeerPint of stout€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across town€6–10 (≈ US$7–12)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person€30 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room€150 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room€220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €55 (≈ US$65) · Mid €95 (≈ US$120) · High €170 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The Diamond and the abbey high crossRound tower and St Tiernach's sarcophagusSt Tiernach's Park, Monaghan GAAClones Film Festival in OctoberThe Drummully border polyp
Airports
DUB Dublin Airport (Bus via Cavan or Monaghan; about 2.5–3 h by road. Check current bus times.) · BFS Belfast International (Cross-border route via Armagh and Monaghan; check connections.) · BHD George Best Belfast City (Goldliner 271 runs from Belfast Grand Central via Armagh to Clones, about 2 h 10 min, once a day Mon–Sat.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Clones: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

17 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

14 rd

Mar

10°C

3°C

15 rd

Apr

12°C

4°C

13 rd

May

15°C

6°C

13 rd

Jun

18°C

9°C

12 rd

Jul

19°C

11°C

13 rd

Aug

19°C

11°C

14 rd

Sep

17°C

9°C

14 rd

Oct

13°C

7°C

16 rd

Nov

10°C

4°C

16 rd

Dec

8°C

2°C

16 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is flat and small: walk it. Buses stop at Jubilee Road and the Diamond. For the county, the canal, the golf club and the border lanes you need a car — there is no local rail.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Monaghan town

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus Éireann 175A or 65, or Local Link 176; about 30–40 min by road

County museum and cathedral; a half-day.

Cavan town

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Bus Éireann 175A or 65, or Local Link 176; about 40 min by road

Drumlin lakes and a market town; useful rail and bus links onward.

Enniskillen, Northern Ireland

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Ulsterbus 95 via Lisnaskea and Newtownbutler, about 1 h

Crosses the border: carry ID and check your car cover if driving.

Carrickmacross

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive or bus via Monaghan; about 45 min by road

Lace heritage and market town; check bus times, connections are thin.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre (Fermanagh St and the Diamond)

Walk to the abbey site, pubs and buses. One hotel and a bar with rooms; book ahead for match weekends.

Outskirts and Scotshouse

Country houses and manor grounds; you need a car for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€50–80 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
€80–130 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
€130 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 1 night × €150€150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €95€190
Bus Dublin → Clones, both ways2 × €40€80
Car hire, one day1 × €60€60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€51
Trip total≈ €281 per person per day, bed included€561≈ US$700

2026 estimate in euro; travel to and from Clones excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub lunch or main course€12–20 (≈ US$14–25)
Pint of stout€5–6.50 (≈ US$6–8)
Pizza in a bar€12–18 (≈ US$14–25)
Taxi across town€6–10 (≈ US$7–12)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low street crime; the real risks are rural roads, dark lanes and the unmarked border. Carry ID, check your car insurance covers both sides, and watch for UK networks on your phone.
  • The border is unpatrolled but real: short drives and lanes cross into Northern Ireland and back. Carry valid ID and check your car insurance covers both sides.
  • The Drummully area is a pene-exclave of the Republic reachable only through Northern Ireland or across the river — check your route before driving it.
  • Rural roads are narrow, often single-track with hedges; drive slowly and expect tractors.
  • Village pubs may close early midweek out of season; check hours locally.
  • Mobile data can latch onto a UK network near the border — check which network you are on to avoid roaming charges.

Emergency numbers

Police, ambulance, fire (Gardaí)
112
Police, ambulance, fire (alternative)
999

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ClonesCluain Eois

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoilTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, ambulance, fire112
  • Police, ambulance, fire (alternative)999

Embassy

No embassy in Clones. US citizens: embassy in Dublin; UK citizens: embassy in Dublin; most other countries: embassies in Dublin.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Belfast → Clones (Goldliner 271): about 2 h 10 min, once a day Mon–Sat
  • Bus Enniskillen → Clones (Ulsterbus 95): about 1 h, five Mon–Fri, three Sat
  • Bus Cavan → Clones (Bus Éireann 175A): once a day

Say or show

  • Dia dhuit — Hello (JEE-a gwit)
  • Go raibh maith agat — Thank you (guh rev mah agut)
  • Le do thoil — Please (leh duh hull)
  • Sláinte — Cheers (SLAWN-cha)
  • Cá bhfuil an leithreas? — Where is the toilet? (kaw will un LEH-russ)
  • Cé mhéad é? — How much is it? (kay vade ay)

English is spoken everywhere; Irish is a school and signage language here, not a daily one.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Clones. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (wet, dark, few events) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DUB and BFS: last bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking cluster around the Diamond with rescue anchors: abbey cross, round tower, Sacred Heart Church, Ulster Canal Stores.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Cassandra Hand Heritage, Ulster Canal Stores, SuperValu) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Border-crossing fixture so the Drummully and N54 lanes can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Ireland

Sources