Ardmore (Irish for "the great height") may well be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland. St. Declan, its founder, is said to have been a bishop in Munster as early as the mid-4th century, well before St. Patrick came to Ireland. Tradition has it that the small stone oratory, situated in a cemetery high above the town, marks his burial site.
St. Declan's Oratory is one of several stone structures here composing the ancient monastic settlement, which you can explore freely on your own. The most striking is the perfectly intact 30m high round tower, arguably the finest of all round towers in Ireland. There are also the ruins of a medieval cathedral and, nearby, St. Declan's well and church. St Declan's feast day is 'Pattern
Day', every 24th of July.
Ardmore is centrally located between the thriving cities of Cork and Waterford,
while Youghal and Dungarvan, with their wide variety of services and golf
courses, are located less than 20km away.
For years Ardmore has attracted tourists from all over the world because
of its perfect coastal setting allowing for long lazy days lying on the
beach. A picturesque fishing village with beautiful sandy beaches, Ardmore
is an ideal family resort and was a winner of Ireland's Tidiest Village
award.
|
|