A parish, in the barony of West Muskerry, and county of Cork, 8 miles (W. by N.) from Macroom on the N22 primary route. Comprises the twin villages of Ballyvourney and Ballymakeera. The village stands beside the Sullane River, a tributary of the Lee, which has its source in the parish. It rises in the mountains on the Co.Kerry border usually known as 'County Bounds'. The name of the parish signifies "the Town of the Beloved". The land is very uneven, in some parts rising into mountains of considerable elevation, the highest of which is Mullaghanish.

St. Abban, who died in 650 c.e., founded a convent here, which he gave to St. Gobnait, who, it is said, was descended from O'Connor the Great, Monarch of Ireland. Smith, in his history of Cork, noted the church of this establishment, but it has since fallen into decay. The site may be of extreme antiquity. 'St Gobnait's House' or 'St Gobnait's Kitchen' is a circular hut (partly restored) with an internal diameter of 6 metres. It was occupied in the Early Christian period by workers in bronze and iron-smelters.
In the graveyard across the road is "St Gobnait's Grave": a small mound with 3 bullaun stones and the abandoned crutches and offerings of hopeful pilgrims. Ballyvourney is the scene of a 'pattern' still performed, and St Gobnait, a virgin whose emblem is the fertility symbol of the bee, is credited with the cure of the sick. (A legend connected with St Gobnait has given the name to the townland of Lackavihoonig: the flagstone of the thief. The saint fastened the thief and the cow and calf he stole on to the flagstone on which they were standing at the fateful meeting. The stone has the imprints of feet and hooves upon it.) In one of the walls is a head carved in stone, which is regarded with much veneration. A shrine was erected to her in 1950; situated outside the old cemetery., it is near St. Gobnait's house or kitchen In the centre of the shrine stands a fine limestone statue of St. Gobnait, sculptured by Seamus Murphy, R.H.A. L.L.D.

The ruins of the conventual church are very extensive and interesting. They stand beside a road leading South from the main village street.The mediæval church incorporates a mutilated sheela-na-gig above the 15th century S window (regarded as an image of the Saint and touched during the performance of the 'pattern') - and a human-mask voussoir, known as 'The Black Thief', from a Romanesque arch, now on the W side of the chancel arch. Local tradition has it that the roof timbers of the church of St. Gobnait were removed from the church before the arrival of Cromwell and were hidden near a rock to the north of the village. The place name Carrig an Adhmaid is said to have originated in this event.

The first site you encounter when coming up the hill from the village to the monastic site is St.Abban's well. A wrought iron archway marks the entrance with ‘HOLY WELL’ written across the top of it. A short path takes you to the well, which is nestled into the base of a tree. The tree is adorned with many offerings and prayers. (These seem to have been removed recently, probably due to a recent Papal edict.)
It is difficult to get to the water in the well (it would be almost impossible for a whole flock of pilgrims to get a taste in a reasonable time). However, there are two handy taps from which to get a taste of this sweet water.

This well is the final stop on a pattern held annually on the 11th of February, the festival of St. Gobnait, the patron saint of the village, and also on Whit-Monday. The stones at the entrance are, like the other stops on the pattern, heavily scored with crosses. Near these ruins is a holy well, and near the well is a large stone with a circular basin or font rudely excavated, the water from which is held sacred.