St Columba's Church, Drumcliff

St Columba's Church in Drumcliff is a 19th-century Church of Ireland church built adjacent to the ancient monastic site. Constructed in the Gothic Revival style, it features a simple yet elegant design with a stone exterior and a bell tower. The church is best known as the burial place of the Nobel Prize-winning poet William Butler Yeats, who died in 1939 and was reinterred here in 1948. His grave, marked by a simple limestone headstone inscribed with his own epitaph, 'Cast a cold Eye / On Life, on Death. / Horseman, pass by!', draws literary pilgrims from around the world. Inside, the church contains a small exhibition on Yeats' life and work. The setting, with Benbulben mountain looming nearby, is deeply evocative.

Don't miss

• Visit the grave of W.B. Yeats and read his epitaph
• Explore the church interior and Yeats exhibition
• See the stained glass windows depicting Celtic themes
• Combine with a visit to the adjacent Drumcliff Monastery ruins
• Enjoy the view of Benbulben mountain from the churchyard

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit St Columba's Church, Drumcliff

Cheapest way inSaint Patrick's Cathedral Dublin Entry Ticket4.7★ · 788 travelers~1 hourFree cancellationFrom$13 per personSee dates →Best full dayDublin to Cliffs of Moher, including Wild Atlantic Way and Galway4.9★ · 24,304 travelers~13 hoursFree cancellationFrom$87 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleSligo Dark Tales: Private History Walking Tour4.9★ · 55 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$134 per personSee dates →