No less a figure than St Brendan the Navigator was born in the Ardfert area in the sixth century. He founded a monastery there not long before embarking on his legendary voyage for the Island of Paradise. It was Brendan’s cult that inspired the three medieval churches that stand on the same site today.

The earliest building is the cathedral, which was begun in the twelfth century. It boasts a magnificent thirteenth-century window and a spectacular row of nine lancets in the south wall.

One of the two smaller churches is an excellent example of late Romanesque architecture. The other, Temple na Griffin, is named for a fascinating carving inside it – which depicts a griffin and a dragon conjoined.

Anyone with a passion for architecture will find Ardfert Cathedral well worth a visit.

Take a guided tour of the sublime cathedral building. As you explore, listen to exciting stories associated with St Brendan, who founded a monastery here in the sixth century. Find out all about Brendan’s legendary voyage in search of the Island of Paradise how he became known as ‘The Navigator’.

On display in the transept are a selection of impressive stone effigies and carvings, as well as an ancient ogham stone. Observe the magnificence of the Romanesque West Door and remark on its parallels with Cormac’s Chapel on the Rock of Cashel.

There are two smaller churches at Ardfert that you won’t want to miss. The Romanesque Temple na Hoe, adjacent to the cathedral, is an excellent example of late Romanesque architecture. See the fifteenth-century Temple na Griffin with its bell-cote which was removed in the seventeenth century and recently replaced.