Early Christian Sites

There are numerous early Christian remains and traces of monastic sites along the route of the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail, Balla, Loona More, Kilbrenan church, Drum or Knockatemple, Killavally, Templebanennaglosha, Aghagower, there are other sites adjacent to the trail or a little way off, such as at Boheh, where in the woods adjacent to the trail there are cross inscribed stones.  These may be hard to find for the inexperienced searcher. The sites mentioned here were directly on the route.

These places were small monasteries where a traveller could stop and spend a night, rest up for a day or so, or perhaps work in return for food and accommodation. Those who lived there were often ascetics living out quiet lives of prayer and contemplation, traditions brought from the deserts of upper Egypt, the Coptic traditions of early Christianity.