Founded in 1216 by Cathal Crovdearg O'Conor, King of Connacht, Ballintubber Abbey has served as a place of prayer and pilgrimage for more than eight centuries. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it became an important religious centre in the west of Ireland.

Unlike many Irish monasteries, Ballintubber continued to attract worshippers even after its buildings suffered damage during the religious and political upheavals that followed the Reformation. Although the abbey was suppressed and its buildings were damaged, the tradition of worship endured.

Today, Ballintubber remains an active place of prayer and pilgrimage. Its long history of faith and perseverance has earned it the enduring name “the abbey that refused to die.”