ST PETER’S DROGHEDA
St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church is situated on the main street in Drogheda and incorporates many of the finer aspects of gothic architecture ever built.
Constructed by the parish priest, Mgr. Robert Murphy in the late nineteenth century. The beautiful interior of this architectural masterpiece is regarded as exquisite in both taste and style as its exterior.
You can not talk about the beauty bestowed within St Peter’s without revealing the dark history of the beheading of St Oliver Plunkett. A couple of years after St. Oliver’s martyrdom or beheading the Relic of his head was brought to Rome and remained there for about forty years until it was given into the care of the new community of Dominican nuns at the Siena convent in Drogheda around 1725. 
For the following two hundred years this community proved their resourcefulness and devotion by faithfully preserving and venerating this priceless relic of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland throughout penal times.
During the Irish war of independence and due to fears of reprisals of the notorious Black and Tans the armed republican forces strategically positioned themselves to defend this most holy of Relics and example of supreme Irish defiance.
In 1921 the Relic of the Head St Oliver was transferred to the newly built St Peter’s Church where it now stands in an impressive new shrine which was erected in 1995.
People now have the opportunity to walk around the shrine and view this precious relic of the Irish church and a beautiful statement of humanity.
St Oliver’s famous last speech which he delivered from the gallows moments before his impending death showed his humanity and forgiveness to all those who had anything to do with his death.
