Dun Briste: Way out of the Way in Mayo County

Along the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, in the middle of a cow pasture along the ragged shoreline sits Dun Briste.

Dun Briste is way out of the way. But. If you happen to be on this end of Mayo County it’s worth checking out. Its a sea stack of rock with grass atop off the shore of wild shoreline of the Atlantic with dramatic coastline on either side.

Dun Briste is the site of Saint Patrick’s confrontation with the pagan god Crom Dubh. At the headland, Crom Dubh tried to toss the Saint into an eternal fire but Patrick scratched the sign of the cross on a stone, tossing it into the fire and causing the fire to collapse into the sea.

Crom Dubh retreated to his fort, Dun Briste, but Patrick didn’t leave it there. He struck the ground with his crozier, splitting Dun Briste off from the land and isolating Crom on the sea stack. There, Crom was eaten alive by small flies called midges.

This is the story of how the sea stack was formed. Of course, you can believe the geologic explanation, but this one is more fun. Except for Crom, that is.