Built in 1884 from local limestone ashlar, St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church in Drogheda is a striking example of French Gothic Revival architecture. It was designed by architects John O’Neill and William Henry Byrne, and is renowned for its soaring west gable, ornate rose window, and, most famously, as the home of the national shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett.

Born in 1625 in County Meath, Oliver Plunkett lived through a time of harsh Penal Laws, when practicing the Catholic faith in Ireland was both dangerous and illegal. In 1647, he travelled to Rome to study for the priesthood, and was ordained in 1654. He later returned to Ireland and, in 1669, was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

Despite continuous persecution, Plunkett worked openly for several years, ministering to Catholics across the country. However, renewed anti-Catholic sentiment eventually forced him into hiding. He was arrested in 1679, tried under false charges of treason, and executed at Tyburn, London, on July 1st, 1681. His body was initially buried, but friends recovered his severed head, preserving it from destruction. Today, his mummified head rests in a glass shrine within St. Peter’s Church.

The church also houses the wooden door from the London prison cell where Plunkett was held before his execution.

In addition to its religious and historical significance, some visitors have reported unusual experiences inside the church. A few have claimed to see the saint’s head appearing to float mid-air, while one woman allegedly saw a spectral figure—believed to be Plunkett—peering through the original prison door. These sightings, though rare, have added a mysterious edge to this revered shrine.