A large storm struck Clonmacnoise in 1547 which caused an extensive amount of damage. The Reformation did not have much of an immediate effect on Clonmacnoise, while many other areas were under Gaelic or Old English control. Clonmacnoise had remained in catholic hands. This is probably why in 1552 the English in Athlone came and took everything down to even the glass in the windows.