Saint Colmcille’s Abbey

I managed to reach a very historical location here in Gartan. The area is famous for being the birthplace of the Saint Colmcille. Unfortunately for me, the reputed birthplace itself seemed to be closed so I went to the abbey instead. As you might expect for something which was established way back in the 6th century, most of the area is already in ruins. There are a few structures here but I probably won’t be able to recognize it as an abbey if you didn’t tell me. One of the important places here is a Holy Well. The well is where people wash their feet while saying prayers. The well itself is a short walk down the hill but it really isn’t very interesting. There was just a sign which says Holy Well.

The most prominent structure here is perhaps the chapel building. This chapel is actually relatively recent compared to the rest of the site having been built in the 16th century. It was in use until the 18th century after which it has fallen into disrepair. There is something mysterious about places like these and I just love taking photos of them. The structure seems to be stable enough for some exploring. The walls are still intact but the roof is no longer there.

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