- St Iberius’ Church, Wexford town: This historic church in the heart of Wexford town is dedicated to St Iberius (Ibar), one of Ireland’s pre-Patrician saints and a contemporary of St Declan. Tradition holds that Iberius founded an early Christian settlement here in the 5th century. The site reflects the earliest layers of Christianity in the southeast and draws visitors for its quiet historical reverence.
- St Patrick’s Well, Kilnamanagh (near Wexford town): A holy well associated with St Patrick, situated in a rural spot and linked to the patron saint’s missionary journeys through Leinster. It remains a place of local devotion for healing and blessings, exemplifying how Patrician traditions overlaid earlier sacred springs in the county.
- St David’s Holy Well, Davidstown (near Enniscorthy): Dedicated to St David (or a local variant of an early saint), this well is set in a peaceful rural area and known for its curative properties in folk tradition. It attracts pilgrims for rounds, prayers, and offerings, reflecting the enduring veneration of holy wells tied to early Christian figures in Wexford.
- St Brigid’s Well, Ballymitty / Bridgetown area: One of several wells dedicated to St Brigid in the county, this site highlights her widespread devotion across Ireland, with possible pre-Christian roots in goddess traditions of healing, fertility, and protection. Visitors seek blessings here in a serene setting, often leaving clooties or tokens on nearby trees.
- Selskar Abbey (St Sepulchre’s / St Peter’s ruins), Wexford town: The ruins of this Augustinian priory, founded in the 12th century on an earlier ecclesiastical site, include a holy well and graveyard. Tradition links it to early Christian settlement, with possible pre-Patrician associations. It served as a place of pilgrimage and devotion in medieval times and remains a poignant spot for reflection in the historic town.
- St Mary’s Well (Lady Well), near New Ross: A notable Marian holy well in the south of the county, set in a tranquil location with a path, statue, and space for prayer. It draws pilgrims for its peaceful atmosphere and ongoing role in popular piety, blending medieval Marian devotion with the long tradition of sacred wells in Wexford.
- Templetown (Temple Mogue / St Mogue’s Well and church ruins): An early medieval site with church ruins and a holy well dedicated to St Mogue (Mochua or a local saint). The location reflects the presence of lesser-known early Irish saints in the Hook Peninsula area, where isolated monastic cells and wells served as places of ascetic devotion and healing. It attracts those seeking quiet, out-of-the-way pilgrimage spots.
- St Declan’s pilgrimage tradition extends strongly into southeast Wexford via St Declan’s Way), the long-distance pilgrim path known as St Declan’s Way begins or connects in Wexford areas, linking to Declan’s legacy as an early saint who evangelised the region before St Patrick. Pilgrims walk sections in Wexford honouring this pre-Patrician tradition.
County Wexford:
Ireland’s county Wexford combines coastal beauty with historic sites, with the Hook Lighthouse, one of the world’s oldest, offering scenic coastal views. The Irish National Heritage Park recreates ancient and medieval settlements, while Wexford’s beaches, like Curracloe, provide sandy shores for walking. Other attractions include the historic town of Enniscorthy and its castle. Wexford is Ireland’s 13th largest county by size (2,351 square km) and 14th largest by population (163,919). Population peaked at 202,033 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 83,308 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Wexford is Ireland’s eighth most visited tourist county with around 229,000 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
