Saul is traditionally linked with Saint Patrick's first church in Ireland.
According to tradition, Patrick founded his first church at Saul, near Downpatrick in County Down. The story says that a local chieftain, Dichu, gave Patrick a barn or similar building for Christian worship. The site is associated with Patrick's arrival in the region and remains part of the heritage landscape connected with his life.
A later church, Saul Church, stands on the hill traditionally associated with the foundation. Its present structure is not Patrick's original building; it is a much later memorial and place of worship.
Downpatrick is also traditionally associated with Patrick's burial place, so Saul and Downpatrick are often mentioned together. These associations come from tradition and medieval accounts, while Patrick's own writings provide only limited geographical detail about his Irish mission.