Picturesque ruins of a church founded by Saint Patrick

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Ardtole Church is the last standing of the eight churches that stood in the area in the 1300s. The site was abandoned after a cruel massacre by  local chieftain in the late 1400s.

 

The site was an inspiration to Jonathan Swift in Gulliver's Travels. The ruins were excavated in 1914 by Francis Joseph Bigger. The largest collection of the oldest stained glass in Ireland was found here!

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Facilities

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- Car parking (Lay-by)

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Walks

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Ardtole Church is located on the Lecale Way. The Ballyhornan Coastal Path passes the site. It is possible to do a short loop to Sheepland from here and visit Saint Patrick's Well 0.5 miles away.