Fore Abbey
In a tranquil, green valley in the village of Fore, about a 30-minute drive from Mullingar in County Westmeath, visitors can view the site where St Fechin founded a Christian monastery in the 7th Century.
It’s believed that before his death, 300 monks lived in the community. Later, the monastery was set on fire 12 times. Among the remains on site, visitors can see St Fechin’s church, built about 900 AD. They will also find one of the 18 Fore crosses, which are spread out over 10 kilometres on roadways and in fields. The Seven Wonders of Fore include, the monastery in the bog, the mill without a race, the water that flows uphill, the tree that has three branches/the tree that won’t burn, the water that won’t boil, the anchorite in a stone and the stone/lintel raised by St Fechin’s prayers.
ST. FEICHIN’S WAY, a 3km Looped Walk around the site, allows visitors to explore each of the places of interest, while soaking in the natural and historic landscape.
Location: Fore Abbey is located near the village of Fore which is 4 kilometres east of Castlepollard in County Westmeath.
Bus Route(s): Contact Bus Eireann, Travel Centre +353 1 836 6111
Text and image courtesy of the OPW. Visit Heritage Ireland for more information.