Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

St. Brendan's Well is natural spring well is marked by a lone bush on the W bank of a stream, 60m W of Tonlegee church (DU015-076001-) and graveyard (DU015-076002-). In 1934 there was a low stone arch over the well which has since been removed (Appleyard 1985, 61; Ó Danachair 1958, 77). There is no indication of devotion.
Holy well was described in 1958 as ; 'A small well, about four feet [1.2m] in diameter, covered, in a small clump of whitethorn, with a large poplar tree. No evidence of devotion. The water is piped away for domestic use' (Ó Danachair 1958, 77). In 1985 the following details were recorded about the holy well; 'Across the river opposite the Church, a lone tree marks the site of St. Brendan's Well. The small trickle of water coming out of the hole in the cement wall of the stream is all that is left. About 1914, there was an outbrake of fever in the area. It was thought the well was not helping matters, so it was duly filled in. But water came up in the kitchen of a nearby house. So the well had to be opened again and the piped water was used for supplying the house. In 1934, the well had a low stone arch over it to protect it. The name of the, well, Brendan's Parkes and the original dedication of the church are the only known links with St. Brendan' (Appleyard 1985, 61).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 17 April 2023

References

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.

Appleyard, D.S. 1985 Green fields gone forever: the story of the Coolock and Artane Area. Dublin. Coolock Select Vestry.