Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Annotated St. Margaret's Well on the 1837 ed. OSi 6-inch map. On the revised 1863 edition of the OSi map the dedication has been changed to St. Brigid. Access is via laneway from rear of the Parochial Hall. St Margaret's church (DU014-002001-) and graveyard (DU014-002002-) lies 300m to NE. Fair Green and R.C. Chapel immediately to the E.
Folklore collected from Killossery School recorded the following tradition about this well; 'There is a well in St. Margaret’s called St. Margaret’s Well. There is an old story attached to that well. It is said that St. Margaret was looking for water to wash her cap but when she could get no water she went and washed her cap in this well. It is said that ever since there was boiling water bubbling out of the well' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0789, Page 257; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498542/4384982/4511555).
This is an enclosed spring well. The well 'bath' area delineated by stone wall, iron railings and a gate. To south are steps down to a stone lined base. Lower course of bath red brick. According to a plaque attached to the west end of the tank, the well was enclosed by Sir. John Plunkett of Dunsoghly (d. 1582) although the present structure looks much later. The plaque was erected by Farrell & Son 1975. The well was frequented for its medicinal qualities. According to D'Alton (1838, 389) it contained lime, muriate of soda, nitrate of kali and sulphur which led to constantly tepid water bubbling up. The well started drying up about twenty years ago and the base is now grassed over.
The well was described in 1897 as; 'Behind the Roman Catholic chapel is a tepid spring, dedicated to
St. Brigid, which never freezes. Sir John Plunkett enclosed it with a wall, still remaining, to make a bath, and it was, in former days, much frequented for its medicinal qualities; and the local people still use it for that purpose. According to Dalton, it contains lime, muriate of soda, nitrate of kali, and sulphur. The water may be seen bubbling up from the bottom every minute' (Stubbs 1897, 448).

See attached photos taken (01/02) in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00131 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16652 and F024.06.00132 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30780.

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 14 April 2023

References

Tutty, M.J. 1979 Dunsogley Castle and St. Margarets Well. Dublin Historical Record 32, 155-7.

Stubbs, W.C. 1897b St Margaret's tepid spring. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 27, 451.

Ó Danachair, C. 1958 The holy wells of county Dublin. Reportorium Novum 2, 68-87; 2, No. 2 The holy wells of County Dublin: A supplementary list, 233-5.

Daly, M. 1957 Curative wells in old Dublin. Dublin Historical Record 17, 13-24.

Cromwell, T.K. 1820 Excursions through Ireland, vol. II, fascicle 7 (Louth), 89-90. London.

Dalton, J. 1838 The History of County Dublin. Dublin.