Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Glen Lower, County Donegal, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Glen Lower
- County
- Donegal
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 55.04077, -7.67785
- SMR number
- DG045-006002-
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
Local tradition records this as the site of a holy well (DG045-006002-), graveyard (DG045-006003-) and a church (DG045-006001-) known as Cill an Leabhair (Church of the Book). The farm is known as Church Farm but no features survive. Bones have been found during ploughing. The site is located in a rocky wooded area sloping from N to S. May be the same holy well as that listed by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as well no. 65 (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 154). Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as, 'Manus O'Donnell's Betha Colmcille (p. 175) mentions a Colmcille Well in Glen Fanad, near a hill called Druim na Leabhar, or" Ridge of the Books." "And a spring burst forth in that place, and it is called the Well of Colmcille to-day. And it hath a great stone station (or monument) in sign of those marvels." I have no personal knowledge of this Holy Well' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 154).
The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.
Date of upload/revision: 05 January 2012
Nearby in the register
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Standing stoneunder 1 mi
- Bullaun stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.