Hill of Slane
The Hill of Slane has been associated with Christianity since the 5th century and was the location of the Pascal fire lit by St. Patrick on Easter Eve of the year 433 AD in defiance of the royal edict on the High King of Tara. The Easter Fire is still lighted each year on the hill.

Soon after St. Patrick, a monsatery associated with St. Earc was built on the site. Little is know of the history of this monastery until the church was rebuilt in its present form in 1512 when Sir Christopher Fleming founded a Franciscan friary. The church was built to a very simple plan but has a fine bell tower.

Nearby are the remains of a college which was founded to server the church and housed four priests, four lay-brothers and four choristers. It was built around an open quadrangle with the priests' residence to the north. The current surviving structure includes the windows, fireplaces and a double garderobe (toilet).

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