- Clogher (Clogher Cathedral and Hillfort site): This ancient site, straddling the Monaghan-Tyrone border but deeply tied to Monaghan’s history, served as a royal inauguration place for the kings of Airgíalla (Oriel) and features a hillfort with prehistoric roots, including a possible inauguration mound and ring barrow from the Late Bronze Age. It became a major ecclesiastical centre when St Patrick appointed St Macartan as bishop here in the 5th century, establishing one of Ireland’s oldest dioceses. The cathedral ruins and graveyard draw visitors honouring this transition from pagan kingship to Christian bishopric.
- St Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan town: The grand 19th-century Gothic cathedral is dedicated to St Macartan, the patron saint of the Diocese of Clogher and a companion of St Patrick. Tradition holds that Macartan received relics and a staff from Patrick to found the see at Clogher, with his grave reputedly in the old Clogher burial ground. The cathedral serves as a modern pilgrimage focal point for devotion to this early saint, with its striking architecture and spiritual significance.
- Clones Round Tower and Monastic Site: An early medieval monastic foundation with a fine 12th-century round tower, high crosses, and ruins of an Augustinian abbey (known locally as “the Wee Abbey”). Linked to early Christian traditions in the Kingdom of Oriel, the site reflects the spread of monasticism in the region and attracts visitors exploring Ireland’s Celtic Christian heritage amid ancient graveyards and enclosures.
- Jaundice Well (Greallach Bui Mór / St Patrick’s Well): A notable holy well associated with St Patrick, renowned for cures of jaundice and other ailments. Pilgrims traditionally bathe or collect water at sunrise and sunset for healing. This well exemplifies the Christianisation of pre-Christian sacred springs, where natural healing waters were blessed by the patron saint, continuing as a place of quiet devotion and folk tradition.
- St John’s Well, near Clones (Analore area): A local holy well dedicated to St John, situated in a rural setting and visited for blessings and cures. Such wells in Monaghan often tie into broader patterns of pilgrimage on saints’ feast days, with traditions of prayer, rounds, and offerings at these serene spots rooted in early Irish Christianity.
- Errigal Truagh Old Graveyard and Church Ruins: An ancient ecclesiastical site with graveyard and ruins, linked to early Christian settlement in the barony of Trough. It evokes the monastic landscape of saints’ foundations in Monaghan, drawing those interested in quiet reflection and the county’s layered spiritual history from early medieval times.
- Drumirril Rock Art Site: A prehistoric rock art complex featuring cup-and-ring markings on stones, dating to the Neolithic or Bronze Age. This represents pre-Christian ceremonial or ritual use of the landscape, possibly tied to cosmological beliefs or seasonal observances. It offers visitors a glimpse into Ireland’s ancient pagan reverence for marked stones and natural features.
- Mullyash Kerbed Cairn: A Neolithic or Bronze Age kerbed cairn and ancient monument, reflecting pre-Christian burial and ritual practices in the county’s upland areas. Such sites highlight Monaghan’s deep prehistoric sacred geography, where cairns and tombs served ceremonial purposes long before Christianity, attracting those exploring Ireland’s megalithic heritage.
County Monaghan:
Ireland’s county Monaghan offers a serene blend of rolling hills and cultural heritage, with the Monaghan County Museum showcasing local history through artefacts and exhibits. The scenic Rossmore Forest Park provides walking trails amidst lakes and woodlands, while Castle Leslie’s historic estate offers a glimpse into aristocratic life. Other attractions include the county’s traditional lace-making heritage and quiet countryside. Monaghan is Ireland’s sixth smallest county by size (1,291 square km) and fifth smallest by population (65,288). Population peaked at 200,442 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 45,732 in 1966. In terms of hospitality, Monaghan is Ireland’s 25th most visited tourist county with around 58,000 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
