St Patrick

In the 5th Century Saint Patrick sailed up the waters of Strangford Lough, landing at the mouth of the river Slaney. It was here that St. Patrick’s monastic journey in Ireland began and where he made his first Irish Christian conversations. He traveled throughout Ireland but spent the majority of his time in County’s Down and Armagh. St. Patrick died on 17th March in 461AD at Saul and was buried within the foundations of the modern Cathedral in Downpatrick where he remains to this day.

A large granite stone is a memorial to St. Patrick and can be found in the graveyard of the present day Cathedral; his actual burial site is believed to be near the high alter within the Cathedral. Not far from Downpatrick (3 miles) is to be found the old Abbey of Saul, a replica of an ancient Celtic Church which is built on the site of St. Patrick’s first church in Ireland.

For more information about Saint Patrick visit Irish Secrets.