- Fore (Fobhair): This remarkable monastic village, known as the “Town of the Seven Wonders,” centres on an early medieval monastery founded by St Feichin in the 7th century. The site features church ruins, a round tower stump, high crosses, and the Anchorite’s Cell (a tiny stone oratory). Pilgrims visit to honour St Feichin, whose feast day (20 January) traditionally drew large gatherings, and the location reflects the ascetic tradition of early Irish saints amid a peaceful rural setting.
- St Feichin’s Holy Well, Fore: Located near the monastic ruins, this holy well is dedicated to St Feichin and renowned for healing properties in local tradition. It forms part of the pattern at Fore, where pilgrims perform rounds, prayers, and devotions, especially on the saint’s feast day. The well exemplifies the Christianisation of pre-Christian sacred springs in the area.
- Taghmon (St Fintan’s Monastery and Holy Well): An early monastic site founded by St Fintan (or Munnu) in the 6th–7th century, featuring church ruins and St Fintan’s Holy Well. The saint, known for his strict monastic rule, is venerated here, and the well attracts visitors seeking blessings and cures. The site highlights the spread of Celtic Christianity in Westmeath’s landscape.
- Multyfarnham Franciscan Friary: Founded in 1268, this well-preserved Franciscan friary remained active through centuries of suppression and is one of Ireland’s few continuously used religious houses. It became a place of pilgrimage in later centuries, with a notable outdoor Stations of the Cross and Marian shrine. Visitors are drawn to its peaceful cloisters and enduring devotional atmosphere tied to medieval Irish spirituality.
- St Mary’s Well (Lady Well), Multyfarnham: A beautifully maintained Marian holy well near the Franciscan friary, set in a tranquil wooded area with a statue of the Virgin and a path for prayer. It serves as a popular local pilgrimage spot for reflection, healing, and devotion, reflecting the continuity of sacred water traditions in the county.
- Uisneach (Hill of Uisneach): One of Ireland’s most ancient ceremonial and sacred hills, long regarded as the mythological centre of Ireland and the “navel of the land.” Pre-Christian in origin, it was a major assembly and ritual site, possibly used for seasonal festivals and kingship rites, with the Catstone (a massive boulder) and other features evoking deep pagan reverence. It draws visitors exploring Ireland’s prehistoric spiritual geography.
- St Patrick’s Well, Glasson (near Athlone): A holy well associated with St Patrick, situated in a rural spot near the River Shannon. Linked to the saint’s missionary journeys through the midlands, it remains a place of quiet devotion where pilgrims seek healing and blessings, exemplifying the many Patrician wells that mark the Christianisation of earlier sacred sites.
- Kilbixy (St Bigseach’s Church and Holy Well): The ruins of an early church and graveyard dedicated to St Bigseach (or Beccnat), an early female saint, with a nearby holy well. The site reflects the presence of lesser-known but significant early Irish saints in Westmeath, and the well continues to attract local pilgrims for prayers and traditional cures in a serene, out-of-the-way location.
County Westmeath:
Ireland’s county Westmeath offers a blend of lakes and historic charm, with Athlone Castle providing insights into medieval Ireland along the Shannon River. The Belvedere House and Gardens showcase Georgian elegance, while Lough Ree offers boating and fishing opportunities. Other attractions include the ancient Fore Abbey and its monastic ruins and traditional seven wonders. Westmeath is Ireland’s tenth smallest county by size (1,763 square km) and 11th smallest by population (96,221). Population peaked at 141,300 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 52,861 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Westmeath is Ireland’s 22nd most visited tourist county with around 95,000 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
