Country guide

Ireland

29 sacred sites across 22 regions.

Traditions present in Ireland

Christianity5 Irish2 Celtic Christianity1 Celtic1 Irish Mythology1 Christian1

Prominent site types

Megalithic site2 Stone Circle2 Christian Shrine1 Well1 Cathedral1 Holy Well1

Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District

1 sites

Carrowkeel

County Sligo, Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District, Ireland

Carrowkeel is a megalithic site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.05727, -8.37908. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Carrowkeel may refer to the following places in Ireland: Carrowkeel, County Galway, a townland Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, County Sligo Kerrykeel, County Donegal, known as Carrowkeel in census returns, is a village by Mulroy Bay Quigley s Point, sometimes known as Carrowkeel, is a village in County Donegal, north of Derry, on Lough Foyle Located in Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Boyle Municipal District

1 sites

Rath Cruachan, Roscommon, Ireland

County Roscommon, Boyle Municipal District, Ireland

Rath Cruachan, Roscommon, Ireland is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.80227, -8.30423. Located in Boyle Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District

1 sites

Christianity

Basilica of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland

County Mayo, Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District, Ireland

Basilica of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland is a christian shrine of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.79176, -8.91753. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland. Located in Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

County Cork

1 sites

Christianity

St Gobnait's well (Ballyvourney)

Ballyvourney, County Cork, Ireland

Ballyvourney is a well of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 51.93845, -9.16645. Attributes: natural, cultural. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: St. Gobnait. Ballyvourney (Irish: Baile Bhuirne [ˌbˠalʲə ˈwuːɾˠn̠ʲə], meaning Town of the Beloved , also spelled Baile Mhúirne) is a Gaeltacht village in southwest County Cork, Ireland. Ballyvourney is also a civil parish in the barony of Muskerry West, and an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne. Located in Municipal District of Macroom, Éire / Ireland.

County Kildare

2 sites

Christianity

Kildare

Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland

Kildare is a cathedral of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.15822, -6.91220. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: Saint Brigid of Kildare. Mythological context: Christian. Kildare (Irish: Cill Dara, meaning church of oak ) is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. As of 2022, its population was 10,302, making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. It is home to Kildare Cathedral, historically the site of an important abbey said to have been founded by Saint Brigid of Kildare in the 5th century. The Curragh lies east of the town. The town lies on the R445, some 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional centre in its own right, a commuter town for the capital. Although Kildare gives its name to the county, Naas is the county town. Located in The Municipal District of Kildare — Newbridge, Éire / Ireland.

Celtic Christianity

St. Brigid's Garden Well

Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland

Near the horse pastures of County Kildare, a natural spring rises from the earth in a garden tended by devotion. St. Brigid's Well has drawn pilgrims seeking healing for perhaps two thousand years—first in honor of a goddess, then of a saint who bears her name. Ribbons tied to the prayer tree flutter in the breeze, each one a prayer offered, a burden released, a blessing sought.

County Meath

2 sites

Newgrange

Donore, County Meath, Ireland

Newgrange is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.69471, -6.47549. Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, placed on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, eight kilometres (five miles) west of the town of Drogheda. It is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 3100 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Newgrange is the main monument in the Brú na Bóinne complex, a World Heritage Site that also includes the passage tombs of Knowth and Dowth, as well as other henges, burial mounds and standing stones. Newgrange consists of a large circular mound with an inner stone passageway and cruciform chamber. Burnt and unburnt human bones, and possible grave goods or votive offerings, were found in this chamber. The monument has a striking façade made mostly of white quartz cobblestones, and it is ringed by engraved kerbstones. Many of the larger stones of Newgrange are covered in megalithic art. The mound is also ringed by a stone circle. Some of the material that makes up the monument came from as far as the Mournes and Wicklow Mountains. There is no agreement about its purpose, but it is believed it had religious significance. It is aligned so that the rising sun on the winter solstice shines through a roofbox above the entrance and floods the inner chamber. Several other passage tombs in Ireland are aligned with solstices and equinoxes, and Cairn G at Carrowkeel has a similar roofbox . Newgrange shares similarities with some other Neolithic monuments in Western Europe; especially Gavrinis in Brittany, which has a similar preserved facing and large carved stones, Maeshowe in Orkney, with its large corbelled chamber, and Bryn Celli Ddu in Wales. Its initial period of use lasted around 1,000 years. Newgrange then gradually became a ruin, although the area continued to be a site of ritual activity. It featured in Irish mythology and folklore, in which it is said to be a dwelling of the deities, particularly The Dagda and his son Aengus. Antiquarians first began its study in the seventeenth century, and archaeological excavations began in the twentieth century. Archaeologist Michael O Kelly led the most extensive of these from 1962 to 1975 and also reconstructed the front of the monument, a reconstruction that is controversial. This included an inward-curving dark stone wall to ease visitor access. Newgrange is a popular tourist site and, according to archaeologist Colin Renfrew, is unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland and as one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe. Located in The Municipal District of Laytown — Bettystown, Éire / Ireland.

Celtic

Stone Of Destiny

Navan, County Meath, Ireland

Stone Of Destiny in Navan, County Meath, Ireland.

County Roscommon

1 sites

Rathcroghan

Tulsk, County Roscommon, Ireland

Rathcroghan is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.77894, -8.25364. Rathcroghan (Irish: Ráth Cruachan, meaning fort of Cruachan ) is a complex of archaeological sites near Tulsk in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is identified as the site of Cruachan, the traditional capital of the Connachta, the prehistoric and early historic rulers of the western territory. The Rathcroghan Complex (Crúachan Aí) is an archaeological landscape with many references found in early Irish medieval manuscripts. Located on the plains of Connacht (Mag nAí/Machaire Connacht), Rathcroghan is one of the six Royal sites of Ireland. The landscape extends over 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi) and consists of over 240 archaeological sites, 60 of which are protected national monuments. The monuments range from the Neolithic (4000–2500 BC), the Bronze (2500–500 BC) and Iron Ages (500 BC–400 AD), to the medieval period. These monuments include burial mounds, ringforts and medieval field boundaries amongst others. The most prominent of these are the multi-period Rathcroghan Mound, the Oweynagat cave, the Mucklaghs (a set of linear earthworks), and the Carnfree medieval complex. There are many historic references to Rathcroghan (Ráth Crúachan) recorded in early medieval manuscripts, including the 12th-century Lebor na hUidre. Rathcroghan is recorded as the location of one of the great fairs of Ireland, as well as being one of the island s three great heathen cemeteries. It is also the location for the beginning and end of the Táin Bó Cúailnge and the royal seat of Medb, a mythical queen of Connacht. Rathcroghan is said to provide entrance to the Otherworld, described in the medieval period as Ireland s Gate to Hell (not to be confused with St Patrick s Purgatory), via Oweynagat (the Cave of the Cats). The cave has associations with the pagan festival of Samhain as well as being described as the dwelling of Morrígan, a mythical figure in early medieval Irish literature. Located in Boyle Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

County Westmeath

1 sites

Irish Mythology

Hill of Uisnech

Loughnavalley, County Westmeath, Ireland

Hill of Uisnech is a ceremonial hill of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.48369, -7.55638. Attributes: natural, cultural, ceremonial. Tradition: Irish Mythology. Mythological context: Omphalos of Ireland. Located in The Municipal District of Athlone — Moate, Éire / Ireland.

Donegal Municipal District

2 sites

Lough Dergh

County Donegal, Donegal Municipal District, Ireland

Lough Dergh is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.60932, -7.87151. Located in Donegal Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Slieve League, County Donegal, Ireland

County Donegal, Donegal Municipal District, Ireland

Slieve League, County Donegal, Ireland is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.64009, -8.68220. Located in Donegal Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Glenties Municipal District

1 sites

Kilclooney Dolmen, Ardara, Ireland

County Donegal, Glenties Municipal District, Ireland

Kilclooney Dolmen, Ardara, Ireland is a dolmen of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.81756, -8.43315. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Glenties Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Kenmare Municipal District

3 sites

Kenmare Stone Circle, Kenmare, Ireland

Kenmare, Kenmare Municipal District, Ireland

Kenmare Stone Circle, Kenmare, Ireland is a stone circle of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 51.87847, -9.58813. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Kenmare Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Mount Brandon, County Kerry, Ireland

County Kerry, Kenmare Municipal District, Ireland

Mount Brandon, County Kerry, Ireland is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 52.23511, -10.25434. Located in Kenmare Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Skellig Michael

County Kerry, Kenmare Municipal District, Ireland

Skellig Michael is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 51.77097, -10.54044. Skellig Michael (Irish: Sceilg Mhichíl [ˌʃcɛlʲəɟ ˈvʲɪçiːlʲ]), also called Great Skellig (Irish: Sceilig Mhór [ˈʃcɛlʲəɟ woːɾˠ]), is a twin-pinnacled crag 11.6 kilometres (7.2 mi) west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael, with Skellig derived from the Irish language word sceilig, meaning a splinter of stone. Its twin island, Little Skellig (Sceilig Bheag), is smaller and inaccessible (landing is not permitted). The two islands rose c. 374–360 million years ago during a period of mountain formation, along with the MacGillycuddy s Reeks mountain range. Later, they were separated from the mainland by rising water levels. Skellig Michael consists of approximately 22 hectares (54 acres) of rock, with its highest point, known as the Spit, 218 m (714 ft) above sea level. The island is defined by its twin peaks and intervening valley (known as Christ s Saddle), which make its landscape steep and inhospitable. It is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries, and its variety of inhabiting species, which include gannets, puffins, a colony of razorbills and a population of approximately fifty grey seals. The island is of special interest to archaeologists, as the monastic settlement is in unusually good condition. The monastery is situated at an elevation of 170 to 180 m (550 to 600 ft), Christ s Saddle at 129 m (422 ft), and the flagstaff area at 37 m (120 ft) above sea level. The monastery can be approached by narrow and steep flights of stone steps which ascend from three landing points. The hermitage on the south peak contains a dangerous approach and is largely closed to the public. Because of the often difficult crossing from the mainland and the exposed nature of the landing spots, the island is accessible only during summer months. UNESCO designated Skellig Michael a World Heritage Site in 1996. Located in Kenmare Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Leinster

1 sites

Christian

Black Madonna of Dublin

Dublin, Leinster, Ireland

Black Madonna shrine known for Polish community shrine, immigrant devotion

Loughrea Municipal District

1 sites

Christianity

Kilmacduagh

County Galway, Loughrea Municipal District, Ireland

Kilmacduagh is a monastery and round tower of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.04796, -8.88777. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Tradition: Christianity. Kilmacduagh (Irish: Cill Mhic Dhuach, meaning church of Duach s son ) is a small village in south County Galway, Ireland, near Gort. The village is in a townland and civil parish of the same name, in Kiltartan barony. It is the site of Kilmacduagh monastery, seat of the Diocese of that name. The diocese is now part of the Diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe in the Church of Ireland. The former cathedral is now a ruin. The Round Tower sits beside the cathedral and is from the 11th or 12 century. At 112 feet it is the tallest tower in Ireland. The towers bell is said to lie at the bottom of a nearby lake. The village is 5 km (3 mi) to the south-west of Gort via the R460 road. Located in Loughrea Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.

Munster

1 sites

Irish

Blarney Stone

Cork, Munster, Ireland

Blarney Stone is a castle of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 51.92909, -8.57088. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Irish. Mythological context: Irish folklore. The Blarney Stone (Irish: Cloch na Blarnan) is a block of Carboniferous limestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the centre of Cork City, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the stone and tour the castle and its gardens. The word blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk . Irish politician John O Connor Power defined it this way: Blarney is something more than mere flattery. It is flattery sweetened by humour and flavoured by wit. Those who mix with Irish folk have many examples of it in their everyday experience. Letitia Elizabeth Landon described its contemporary meaning in an article entitled Blarney Castle in 1832. Located in Cork, Munster, Éire / Ireland.

Sligo Municipal Borough District

3 sites

Neolithic

Carrowmore

County Sligo, Sligo Municipal Borough District, Ireland

Carrowmore is a megalithic site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.25081, -8.51932. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological, ceremonial. Tradition: Neolithic. Carrowmore (Irish: An Cheathrú Mhór, the great quarter ) is a large group of megalithic monuments on the Coolera Peninsula to the west of Sligo, Ireland. They were built in the 4th millennium BC, during the Neolithic (New Stone Age). There are thirty surviving tombs, making Carrowmore one of the largest clusters of megalithic tombs in Ireland, and one of the big four along with Carrowkeel, Loughcrew and Brú na Bóinne. Carrowmore is the heart of an ancient ritual landscape which is dominated by the mountain of Knocknarea to the west. It is a protected National Monument. Located in Sligo Municipal Borough District, Éire / Ireland.

Knocknarea megalthic site, Sligo, Ireland

County Sligo, Sligo Municipal Borough District, Ireland

Knocknarea megalthic site, Sligo, Ireland is a megalithic of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.25876, -8.57450. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Sligo Municipal Borough District, Éire / Ireland.

Tobar Nalt

County Sligo, Sligo Municipal Borough District, Ireland

Tobar Nalt is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 54.24391, -8.44601. Located in Sligo Municipal Borough District, Éire / Ireland.

The Borough District of Wexford

1 sites

Our Lady’s Island Monastery, Rosslare, Ireland

County Wexford, The Borough District of Wexford, Ireland

Our Lady’s Island Monastery, Rosslare, Ireland is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 52.20856, -6.38177. Located in The Borough District of Wexford, Éire / Ireland.

The Municipal District of Ashbourne

1 sites

Irish

Hill of Tara

County Meath, The Municipal District of Ashbourne, Ireland

Hill of Tara is a hill of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.57881, -6.61165. Attributes: natural, cultural, archaeological, ceremonial. Tradition: Irish. Mythological context: Irish mythology. The Hill of Tara (Irish: Teamhair or Cnoc na Teamhrach) is a hill and ancient ceremonial and burial site near Skryne in County Meath, Ireland. Tradition identifies the hill as the inauguration place and seat of the High Kings of Ireland; it also appears in Irish mythology. Tara consists of numerous monuments and earthworks—dating from the Neolithic to the Iron Age—including a passage tomb (the Mound of the Hostages ), burial mounds, round enclosures, a standing stone (believed to be the Lia Fáil or Stone of Destiny ), and a ceremonial avenue. There is also a church and graveyard on the hill. Tara forms part of a larger ancient landscape and Tara itself is a protected national monument under the care of the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Irish Government. Located in The Municipal District of Ashbourne, Éire / Ireland.

The Municipal District of Callan — Thomastown

1 sites

Knockroe passage mound, Ireland

County Kilkenny, The Municipal District of Callan — Thomastown, Ireland

Knockroe passage mound, Ireland is a passage tomb of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 52.43175, -7.39982. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in The Municipal District of Callan — Thomastown, Éire / Ireland.

The Municipal District of Kells

1 sites

Loughcrew

County Meath, The Municipal District of Kells, Ireland

Loughcrew is a megalithic ruins of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.74458, -7.11212. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Loughcrew or Lough Crew (Irish: Loch Craobh, meaning lake of the tree ) is an area of historical importance near Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland. It is home to a group of ancient tombs from the 4th millennium BC, some decorated with rare megalithic art, which sit on top of a range of hills. The hills and tombs are together known as Slieve na Calliagh (Sliabh na Caillí) and are the highest point in Meath. It is one of the four main passage tomb cemeteries in Ireland and is a protected National Monument. The area is also home to the Loughcrew Estate, from which it is named. Located in The Municipal District of Kells, Éire / Ireland.

The Municipal District of Thurles

1 sites

Christianity

Holy Cross Abbey

County Tipperary, The Municipal District of Thurles, Ireland

Holy Cross Abbey is a abbey of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 52.63954, -7.86805. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Holy Cross Abbey (Mainistir na Croise Naofa) was a Cistercian monastery in Holycross near Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland, situated on the River Suir. It takes its name from a relic of the True Cross or Holy Rood. Located in The Municipal District of Thurles, Éire / Ireland.

West Cork

1 sites

Drombeg Stone Circle, Glandore, Ireland

County Cork, West Cork, Ireland

Drombeg Stone Circle, Glandore, Ireland is a stone circle of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 51.56457, -9.08738. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological, ceremonial. Located in West Cork, Éire / Ireland.

Westport-Belmullet Municipal District

1 sites

Mt. Croach Patrick

County Mayo, Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, Ireland

Mt. Croach Patrick is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 53.75991, -9.65979. Located in Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, Éire / Ireland.