- Tobernalt Holy Well (Tobar an Alt): Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s finest holy wells, this serene woodland site beside Lough Gill predates Christianity, with origins in pre-Christian Celtic reverence for sacred springs and groves. Tradition holds that St Patrick blessed and Christianised it, leaving his handprint on a stone at the altar. Pilgrims perform rounds, leave clooties on trees, and attend Mass on Garland Sunday (last Sunday in July), blending ancient pagan customs with enduring devotion.
- Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery: Ireland’s oldest and densest concentration of Neolithic passage tombs, dating to around 4000–3000 BCE, this vast site on the Cúil Íorra Peninsula reflects profound pre-Christian ceremonial and burial practices. Linked to the goddess figures of local mythology and seasonal rituals, it forms part of Sligo’s passage tomb landscape and draws visitors exploring Ireland’s earliest sacred geography.
- Knocknarea (Cnoc na Riabh / Queen Maeve’s Cairn): This striking flat-topped mountain is crowned by a massive unopened Neolithic cairn, traditionally associated with Queen Medb (Maeve) of Connacht from the Táin epic. Revered in pre-Christian mythology as a place of sovereignty, power, and possible inauguration rites, the unexcavated cairn and panoramic views make it a site of enduring pagan spiritual significance.
- Carrowkeel Passage Tomb Complex: A remarkable Neolithic ceremonial landscape high in the Bricklieve Mountains, featuring multiple passage tombs, cairns, and ritual enclosures from around 3300 BCE. Aligned with astronomical events and evoking ancient reverence for the dead and the cosmos, this remote site offers a profound sense of Ireland’s prehistoric sacred heritage.
- Drumcliffe Monastic Site: An early medieval foundation strongly associated with St Colmcille (Columba), who is said to have established a monastery here in the 6th century. The site includes a round tower, high crosses, church ruins, and St Colmcille’s Holy Well (submerged at Doonierin in Drumcliff Bay). It attracts pilgrims honouring the saint’s legacy of learning and devotion amid a peaceful setting.
- St Brigid’s Holy Well, Cliffoney: Dedicated to St Brigid, this holy well in the north of the county reflects her widespread veneration, with possible pre-Christian roots in goddess traditions of healing and fertility. Historically the site of an annual cattle fair, its waters were believed to cure sick livestock, and it continues to draw devotees for blessings and quiet reflection.
- St Patrick’s Well, Dromard: A holy well linked to St Patrick, where devotions and Mass are held annually on 29 June (feast of SS Peter and Paul). It exemplifies Patrician traditions in Sligo, with the saint’s missionary journeys Christianising earlier sacred springs. Pilgrims seek healing and spiritual renewal at this rural site tied to Ireland’s patron saint.
- Inishmurray (Island monastic site): This offshore island features one of Ireland’s best-preserved early medieval monastic settlements, founded by St Molaise in the 6th century. It includes churches, beehive huts, altars, and holy wells, serving as a major pilgrimage destination for centuries. The remote, ascetic landscape evokes the eremitic life of early Irish saints and draws visitors to its timeless spiritual atmosphere.
County Sligo:
Ireland’s county Sligo is renowned for its poetic heritage and coastal scenery, with the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery offering one of Europe’s oldest prehistoric sites. The Benbulben mountain provides striking hiking trails, while Strandhill’s beaches are ideal for surfing. Other attractions include the historic Lissadell House and its gardens. Sligo is Ireland’s 22nd largest county by size (1,796 square km) and seventh smallest by population (70,198). Population peaked at 180,886 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 50,275 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Sligo is Ireland’s 17th most visited tourist county with around 133,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846– 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
Sacred Places
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
