St. Patrick

St. Patrick the national Saint of Ireland is reputed to have returned to Ireland in the year 423 having spent some 20 odd years in western Europe. He landed on the shores of Strangford Lough at the mouth of Slaney River. His first convert a local Chief Dichu gave Patrick a barn (Sabhall in Irish, now Saul) from where Patrick conducted his mission.

St Patrick

Saint Patrick's Church Saul

To commemorate the 1500 anniversary of St Patrick the Church of Ireland built in 1932 a small stone church with a round tower on the site. The church at Saul is open daily and is only one of several sites associated with the Irish Saint.

On Slieve Patrick close to the church at Saul stands the imposing stone figure of Saint Patrick. It is here that on St. Patrick's Day the 17th March that pilgrims congregate. It is said that St. Patrick used the Shamrock to illustrate and explain to his followers the concept of the Holy Trinity - How one God divided into three, The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit.	Statue on Slieve Patrick
St Patrick's Grave stone at St Patrick's CathedralSaint Patrick's remains are said to lie in the grave marked with a large granite boulder at St. Partick's Cathedral in Downpatrick.