Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Kiltooris, County Donegal, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kiltooris
- County
- Donegal
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 54.81842, -8.50259
- SMR number
- DG064-016002-
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
It is believed that at a spot called Lough an Airne or Lus Na nAirne (McGill 1976, 26) there was a graveyard (DG064-016001-) almost certainly the site of the original Ceall, (Church) which forms part of the name of Kiltoorish. The site is covered by a dense growth of briars etc. and proved impossible to inspect closely. To the SW is a holy well (DG064-016002-), roughly circular, formed of dry-stone walling (Ó Muirgheasa No. 37). The site is located on a NE facing slope overlooking Kiltoorish Lough in an area of rough pasture. Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as 'There is a Holy Well at Kiltoorish, about which I have not been able to glean any information. Kiltoorish seems to mean " the Church of the Pilgrimage" ' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 151).
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.
Compiled by Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload/revision: 03 November 2011
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.