Nestled at the foot of the Partry Mountains is the ancient, picturesque village of Ballintubber or Ballintober.

Ballintubber derives its name from the Gaelic ‘Baile an Tobair’ meaning the village of the well - St Patrick’s Well. When Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland c432 AD, he founded a church at Ballintubber and is said to have baptized converts to Christianity at the well, where a stone there is marked with the impression of his knee.

Approximately seven miles south of Castlebar in County Mayo, the village of Ballintubber sits on the well travelled pilgrimage route to Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s Holy Mountain. Ballintubber and its surrounding area is rich in history and historical sites, the most notable being Ballintubber Abbey, on the shores of Lough Carra, built by King Cathal O’Conor in 1216.

Ballintubber Abbey has been painstakingly and lovingly restored over the years and the abbey church is the only church in Ireland, still operating, that was founded by an Irish King.

Ballintubber Abbey - 'the Abbey that refused to die' - has in recent years, become a popular wedding venue for couples seeking a distinctive and historic setting. The abbey has seen many ‘celebrity weddings’ including the marriage of actor Pierce Brosnan to Keely Shaye Smith and Westlife lead singer Shane Filan to Gillian Walsh.

Ballintubber Abbey Retreat Experience

The Ballintubber Abbey Retreat Experience is an amalgam of solitude, public worship and penitential pilgrimage. The retreat includes the solitude of Church Island, the challenge of the Tochar, the quiet meditation around the Abbey and the hospitality of the local community. Retreats run from May to September.

The Abbey is open all year round from 9 am to 12 midnight.

For information check contact us at Tel: + 353 (0) 94 903 0934
Fax: + 353 (0) 94 903 0018
Email: info@ballintubberabbey.ie

For further information check out the Ballintubber Abbey Website

The Celtic Furrow

Beside Mary Moran's Cottage on N84

Why does the sun dance on May morning?
Why the Wren Boys?
Why the Bonfire?
Halloween?

For further information check out the Ballintubber Abbey Website