Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Access from footpath at gate lodge to Milverton Hall, located 115m NE of medieval church (DU005-024001-) and graveyard (DU005-024004-) associated with St Mobhi's monastery (DU005-024003-). Located within ecclesiastical enclosure which has been defined by geophysical survey (Nicholls 2003). This is a circular spring well (diam. 1.05m) enclosed and covered by an impressive horse-shoe-shaped cairn of large boulders (L 6m x Wth 2.4m x H 1.5m). Approached from steps in the east. Bullaun inset into N wall. Traditionally associated with St. Mobhi. The water is thought to cure sore eyes (Healy 1975, 17; Duff 1956, 118). The following folklore was collected from Milverton School about this holy well; 'St Mauvee's Well is situated nearly three miles west of Skerries on Milverton Demesne. It is close to the gate lodge occupied by the herd at Margaretstown cross roads. Some people call the well Fionn Mac Cumhail's well. This name is generally shortened to Fionn' well by the natives. As it is so close to the St Mauvee's (Mobhi) cemetery it is also called St Mauvee's well. The well is situated in a grotto about fifty yards from the ruins of the old church and to the rear of it. It is approached by a flight of steps which are well preserved and which descend to a depth of eight or ten feet. There is a mound of stones at the head of the well and judging by their setting and appearance these were the setting for a statue until recent years. There is a hollow stone like a Holy Water font set in the wall about four feet over the level of the well itself. The water which is contained in this hollow stone is supposed to contain a cure. Strangers when visiting the well often emptied the hollow stone and returned after a short time to find that the hollow had again refilled. Other people when visiting the well who had little belief in its curative powers often dried the water out but eventually it would refill. The well is surrounded by very large stones. On one huge stone which overhangs the well there is the imprint of a man's hands still to be seen. Tradition says it was thrown from Lusk by Fionn. In the middle of St Mauvee's cemetery there is still to be seen the foundation stones of his church. It is supposed to have been founded about 600 A.D. It is hard to tell what size the Church was as a road was constructed through the cemetery leaving a portion of it on the opposite side of the road. Different legends are told about the foundation of the Church. The following is one of them. A ploughman took a pair of horses to plough it and while doing so a stranger who was passing by forbade him to continue as it was St Mauvee's day and a holyday. He answered and said. "St Mauvee or Saint Mauvo I'll plough my frough before I go". No sooner had he uttered the words than the ground opened and swallowed him and his pairs of horses' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Pages 121-2;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498263/4383600).

See attached photos taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00154 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16661; F024.06.00155 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30794 and F024.06.00156 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30795.

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 11 April 2023

References

Duff, R.S. 1955 Milverton, Skerries. Co. Dublin. Dublin Historical Record 19, 115-26.

Healy, P. 1975b Third report on monuments and sites of archaeological interest in county Dublin. An Foras Forbartha, Dublin.

Nicholls, J. 2003. Geophysical Survey Report: Milverton Golf Resort, Co. Dublin. Licence 03R047. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Skyvova, P. 2005 Fingallian Holy Wells. Fingal County Libraries.