A New Chapter Begins – Launching the Website, Strategic Plan, and Cultural & Heritage Visitor Centre at Ballintubber Abbey

ALI 2813

A New Chapter Begins – Launching the Website, Strategic Plan, and Cultural & Heritage Visitor Centre at Ballintubber Abbey

By Con Lydon, Construction Committee Ballintubber Abbey Trust

Published: June2025

On a bright and hopeful morning at Ballintubber Abbey, a gathering of community, heritage enthusiasts, and supporters came together to celebrate a milestone in the Abbey’s long and storied history. As Con Lydon of the Ballintubber Abbey Trust Building Committee addressed the crowd, his words captured the deep sense of pride and purpose behind the day’s events: the launch of our new website, the unveiling of our 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, and the announcement of a transformative restoration and development programme.

This is a new chapter, not just in stone and structure, but in vision and values, for a sacred place that has stood for over 800 years.

A Legacy Rooted in Kindness and Vision

Ballintubber Abbey’s origins trace back to an extraordinary act of kindness. A young boy named Cathal, fleeing danger with his mother, found refuge in Ballintubber. Taken in by a man named Sheridan, Cathal would grow up to become King of Connacht. Years later, in gratitude, he promised Sheridan more than repairs to the old church, he vowed to build a grand new one.

Construction began in 1216 and was completed in 1225. The Abbey was entrusted to the Canons Regular of St. Augustine from France and quickly became a centre of faith, learning, and spiritual life.

Resilience Through Centuries of Challenge

From invasions to suppression, famine to fire, Ballintubber Abbey has faced centuries of hardship:

  • In 1265, the nave was burned by the Normans and rebuilt in 1270.
  • The Abbey survived the Reformation under Henry VIII through diplomatic resilience.
  • After land and funds were confiscated in 1603, and the Abbey was destroyed by Cromwellian forces in 1653, Masses continued in secret.
  • Restoration efforts began in 1846 but were interrupted by the Great Famine, during which thousands perished. Yet even then, hope lived on, helped, notably, by George Moore and the generosity his prize-winning horse “Corona” made possible.

Despite immense loss, the spirit of the Abbey endured. Through the efforts of individuals like Fr. Thomas Reidy, Fr. Tómas Egan, and Fr. Frank Fahey, the Abbey was slowly rebuilt, roof by roof, stone by stone.

Fr. Fahey’s work has been especially significant. Since 1986, he has not only restored the Abbey grounds, but also rekindled the spiritual path of Tóchar Phádraig to Croagh Patrick, revived the Passion Play, and helped develop the Abbey’s retreat spaces, making Ballintubber not only a destination, but a place of living faith and pilgrimage.

Our Vision for the Future

In 2008, the seed of an idea was planted, to build a Cultural and Heritage Visitor Centre that would reflect the Abbey’s history, house interpretive spaces, and welcome visitors from all over the world. What followed was over a decade of planning, design, and perseverance:

  • By 2016, planning permission was granted with archaeological conditions, funded through community and South Mayo Leader support.
  • In 2019, government support began to come in: €350,000 from the Department of Housing, and €2.67 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF).
  • After delays due to funding challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was revived in 2022.
  • In May 2024, the vision became reality: €5.8 million was secured to fully fund the Cultural and Heritage Visitor Centre, from construction to interpretive design.

This Centre will not just be a building. It will be a space for encounter, learning, spiritual reflection, and community welcome, preserving the story of Ballintubber for generations to come.

A Strategic Path Forward

Alongside this development, we are proud to launch our Strategic Plan for 2025–2028. This roadmap sets out our commitment to heritage, hospitality, and hope. It will guide our pilgrim walks, guided tours, community engagement, and wedding services, ensuring Ballintubber Abbey remains a beacon of peace, faith, and resilience.

Discover More Online

Our new website is now live, a digital front door to Ballintubber Abbey. Visitors can explore our story, book tours, learn about weddings at the Abbey, join pilgrim walks, and stay up to date on events and restoration news.

This moment marks not an ending, but a beautiful new beginning.

Ballintubber Abbey truly is, and always will be “The Abbey that Refused to Die.”

Thank you to all who have helped bring this vision to life.