Durrow monastery was founded by Colmcille in the 6th century on land given by his cousin Aed Mac Brenainn, King of Teffia. Abbots were often related to the kings. Bishops and kings are buried in Durrow. The monastery was like a town. Not all of the monks were clergy. Work consisted of prayer, teaching the word of God, education, farming, trading, craft (metal, stone), welcoming students and pilgrims, writing and decorating manuscripts. The only visible remains of the monastery are part of the boundary, the High Cross, parts of crosses, cross-slabs, head-ache stone, a crosier ( in the National Museum of Ireland) and the Book of Durrow ( on view in Trinity College, Dublin). The monastery was attacked many times. Monks from Durrow died in battle against monks from Clonmacnoise.

The Book of Durrow is a copy of the Gospels. The monks wrote on vellum (calf skin) with a quill using brown- black, red, green and yellow ink. The book had a decorated box, now lost. The book written in the 7th century has 248 remaining pages. It is the earliest decorated manuscript, 100 years older than the Book of Kells.

The High Cross is a scripture cross with scenes from the Bible. It is three metres high, carved in sandstone and is a single piece placed in the socket base. Crosses were used to teach, mark sanctuary and commemorate famous people.