- Address
Abbey, Ballintober, Co. Mayo, Ireland
- Web
https://www.ballintubberabbey.ie/ - Visiting Hours
Everyday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm - What to see
Early Christian well
St. Patrick’s Well at Ballintubber Abbey has a rich religious history dating back to the founding of the first church in 441 by St. Patrick himself. Situated in a spiritually significant location near Lough Carra and the road used by the King of Connaught during the Festival of Lughnasa, the church and well witnessed the introduction of Christianity to the region. St. Patrick, after praying at the top of Cruachán Aigle, chose this site as part of his mission to bring the faith to the edge of the known world, on the Atlantic Ocean. After founding the church in 441, Patrick used the well to baptize newborns, leaving a spiritual legacy that continues to this day.
The well, located in the field behind the abbey, remains a place of pilgrimage. Water from the spring is used at the Abbey to create a beautiful waterfall at the Crucifixion, and the well itself is visited by those seeking to connect with the history and spirituality associated with St. Patrick. The statue at the fountain, created by Brother Joseph McNally in 2000, is an artistic testament to the ongoing devotion at this sacred site. Local legend even has it that the stone in the foreground bears the imprint of St. Patrick’s knee, adding a mystical touch to this important stop on the Tochar Phadraig.
