Fore Abbey
In a tranquil, green valley in North Westmeath, lies the tiny village of Fore, known for its 7th Century Monastery and the intriguing 'Seven Wonders of Fore'. Visitors can view the site where St Fechin founded the Christian monastery, where 300 monks once lived. Set on fire 12 times, this monastic site has a fascinating history. Among the remains on site, visitors can see St Fechin’s church, built about 900 AD.
View the brochure guide here
St. Feichin’s Way, a 3km Looped Walk around the site, allows visitors to explore each of the places of interest, while soaking in the natural and historic landscape. The looped walk also includes a pretty fairy trail through a woodland section.
Take part in a search for one of the 18 Fore crosses, which are scattered throughout the region or discover the renowned 'Seven Wonders of Fore', which include a monastery in the bog, the mill without a race, the water that flows uphill, the tree that has three branches/the tree that won’t burn, the water that won’t boil, the anchorite in a stone and the stone/lintel raised by St Fechin’s prayers.
Fore is located just 4km from the town of Castlepollard in North Westmeath, in an area steeped in history, heritage and unique cultural landscapes and a 30 minute drive from Mullingar town.
Click on image below to listen to the Fore Audio Guide, beautifully produced by the experts at Abarta Heritage.
The Reconstruction Drawing was created by Sara Nylund of Abarta Heritage as part of an Interpretation Project for Fore that has been funded by the Heritage Council through the Irish Walled Towns Network with support from Westmeath County Council in 2025.