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A place of peace

Beautifully situated in a quiet green valley in the village of Fore, Fore Abbey sits on the spot where St Feichin founded a Christian monastery in the 7th century. Back in the day, it was a thriving place with around 300 monks living here and over 2,000 students. But the monastery was not without its drama. St Feichin is said to have died of yellow plague, and the monastery was set on fire a total of 12 times between the 8th and 12th centuries.

Experiencing the wonders

Fore might look like a series of impressive ruins, but it’s a lot more than that. These gracefully crumbling structures and the landscape they sit in have become the stuff of legend, with a host of “wonders” that draw curious visitors from all over the world.

The Seven Wonders of Fore include the monastery in the bog, the water that flows uphill, the tree that won’t burn, the water that won’t boil, the anchorite in a stone, the mill without a race and the lintel raised by St Feichin’s prayers.

Stroll around and you will come face to face with these phenomena – just don’t get any smart ideas about trying to disprove any of them. It’s said that if you attempt to boil the water that does not boil, bad luck will befall you. And we can assure you that the locals won’t thank you for trying to burn the tree that does not burn.

But use your imagination, let yourself believe a little and you’ll find that Fore’s mix of miracles, legend and history really does add to the experience of visiting this beautiful spot.