Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Craigmaddyroe Far, County Donegal, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Craigmaddyroe Far
- County
- Donegal
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Holy Well
- Latest-edition OS map
- Holy Well
- Coordinates
- 55.08293, -7.58147
- SMR number
- DG037-014----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1881 "Ireland to Illustrate the Military Condition of the Country." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Ó Muirgheasa (1936, 153, Nos. 62 and 63) recorded that 'There are two Holy Wells (DG037-014----; DG037-014001-) in Craig or Cregg townland, two miles from Rathmullen on the road to Rathmelton, one on each side of the road. One of these is called Tobar Breallagh, probably from St. Baothallach, 5th October'.
This holy well (DG037-014----) is indicated as 'Holy well' on the 1837-42 and 1913 OS maps. It is located a few meters to E of a N-S field fence in low-lying ground c. 30m N of the shoreline of Lough Swilly. It consists of a basin-stone which holds water. The stone is a flattish slab c. 0.85m across. The depression is c. 0.3m across and c. 0.15m deep. A few stones have been built up to form a roof over the basin-stone. Some pieces of white quartz are laid on the bullaun. According to tradition, water from the well is used as an eye cure (Lacy 1983, 302, no. 1666).
Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy
Date of revised upload: 4 March 2021
References
Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O'Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council.
Ó Muirgheasa, E. 1936 The holy wells of: Donegal. Béaloideas 7, No. 2, 143-62. Corrigenda 7, No. 2, 247, 1937.
Nearby in the register
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Stone circleunder 1 mi
- Cairn - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Moundunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.