On July 1, 1681, at Tyburn in London, an elderly Irish archbishop was hanged, drawn, and quartered for the crime of exercising his Catholic priesthood. Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, became the last Catholic to die for the faith in England, a victim of the anti-Catholic hysteria known as the Popish Plot. His head was preserved by his followers, carried to Rome, and eventually brought to Drogheda, where it has been venerated for over two centuries in St. Peter's Church—a powerful relic of Ireland's Age of Martyrs.
The shrine of Oliver Plunkett draws pilgrims to this historic town on the River Boyne, north of Dublin. Here, in a gleaming brass reliquary, the head of the martyred archbishop is exposed for veneration—a direct, physical encounter with sanctity that medieval pilgrims would recognize. The saint's presence transforms Drogheda from an ordinary Irish market town into a place of profound Catholic significance.
Oliver Plunkett was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975, the first Irishman elevated to sainthood in almost seven hundred years. His shrine in Drogheda serves as both pilgrimage destination and memorial to the centuries of persecution that Irish Catholics endured. In his courage and his death, Plunkett embodied the faith that sustained a nation through its darkest hours.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Oliver Plunkett was born in County Meath in 1625 to an Old English Catholic family. Educated in Rome, he was ordained priest in 1654 and spent the next sixteen years teaching and ministering in Italy. In 1669, despite the dangers, he accepted appointment as Archbishop of Armagh and returned to Ireland.
His ministry was conducted in penal conditions. Catholic bishops were outlawed; Plunkett moved constantly, confirmed thousands, ordained priests in secret, and struggled to reform a church debilitated by persecution. His letters describe the hardships: "I have two days' journey through the mountains and bogs... I have had to hide three days in the mountains, without a house or cabin, in snow and frost."
The Popish Plot crisis of 1678—a fabricated conspiracy that alleged a Catholic plot to assassinate King Charles II—triggered a new wave of persecution. Plunkett was arrested, imprisoned in Dublin, then transferred to London, where conviction was more certain. False witnesses testified that he had planned a French invasion; the London jury convicted him despite manifest perjury.
At Tyburn on July 1, 1681, Plunkett forgave his accusers and prayed for his enemies. His body was quartered; his head was retrieved by friends and preserved. Eventually it was brought to Drogheda, where it has remained since 1921.
Plunkett's cause for canonization was introduced in 1920. He was beatified in 1920 and canonized in 1975. His feast day, July 1, is celebrated throughout Ireland, with the principal observances at Drogheda.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Drogheda
St. Peter's Church (National Shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett)
The Gothic Revival church, built in 1884, houses the shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett. The saint's head is displayed in a ornate brass-and-glass reliquary in a dedicated shrine chapel, where pilgrims gather for prayer and veneration.
The shrine church offers regular Masses, devotions to St. Oliver, and opportunities for confession. The atmosphere combines Victorian Gothic grandeur with the intimacy of a place of pilgrimage.
St. Oliver Plunkett's Shrine Chapel
Within St. Peter's Church, the dedicated shrine chapel provides space for personal prayer and veneration. The reliquary containing the saint's head is the focus of devotion. The door of his Newgate Prison cell is also displayed.
St. Peter's Church of Ireland
The medieval Church of Ireland church (distinct from the Catholic St. Peter's) preserves the head of a saint of a different kind: Oliver Plunkett's last sermon was allegedly preached in this area. The church contains medieval tombs and the baptismal font used until the Reformation.
Drogheda Museum
The museum displays artifacts related to local history, including material connected with Oliver Plunkett and the penal era.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of St. Oliver Plunkett — July 1
The principal feast, commemorating the anniversary of the saint's martyrdom. Special Masses, veneration of the relics, and pilgrim events.
Annual Novena to St. Oliver
A nine-day period of prayer leading to the feast day.
St. Oliver Plunkett Annual Walk
A pilgrimage walk organized around the feast day, connecting sites associated with the saint.
🛏️ Where to Stay
D Hotel Drogheda ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Modern hotel in the town center. Website
Scholars Townhouse Hotel ⭐⭐⭐ — Boutique hotel in a historic building. Website
Various B&Bs in Drogheda — The town offers numerous guesthouses.
Dublin Hotels — The capital (50 km) provides extensive accommodation.
🚗 Getting There
By Car: Drogheda is on the M1 motorway, 50 km north of Dublin.
By Train: Drogheda railway station has regular services from Dublin Connolly (approximately 45 minutes) and Belfast (approximately 1.5 hours).
By Bus: Bus Éireann and private operators connect Drogheda with Dublin, Belfast, and other cities.
By Air: Dublin Airport (DUB) is approximately 30 minutes south by car or direct bus.
📚 Further Reading
Desmond Forristal. Oliver Plunkett: In His Own Words — The martyr's letters and writings.
John Hanly. The Letters of Saint Oliver Plunkett — Complete correspondence of the saint.
🔗 Useful Links
St. Oliver Plunkett Parish, Drogheda — Shrine and parish information.
Archdiocese of Armagh — Diocesan resources.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Downpatrick (80 km) — Burial place of St. Patrick.
Kildare (100 km) — Shrine of St. Brigid.
Mellifont Abbey (10 km) — Ireland's first Cistercian monastery.
Monasterboice (10 km) — Ancient monastic site with high crosses.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"I do forgive all who had a hand, directly or indirectly, in my death, and I ask forgiveness of all those whom I have in any way offended." — St. Oliver Plunkett, final words at Tyburn, July 1, 1681
