Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
St. Catherine'S Park, County Dublin, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- St. Catherine'S Park
- County
- Dublin
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- St. Catherines Wells
- Latest-edition OS map
- St. Catherines Wells
- Coordinates
- 53.36691, -6.47304
- SMR number
- DU017-002002-
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 1799 "Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Located on the side entrance into St. Catherine's Park. There are two wells side by side, with arched coverings. This one is higher than the other (DU017-002001-). Tradition has it that the water from the larger well was drunk and the water from the smaller well was used to bathe sore eyes. Joyce described the wells as being canopied, the larger having a wooden door and a stone head (1912, 359). In 1958 the stone head fixed to the higher arch had been stolen more than once (Ó Danachair 1958, 82). This has since been removed and the well hood vandalised. No longer venerated.
Folklore collected from Palmerstown School recorded the following details about St Catherine's Wells; 'There are two wells beside each other in a farm called St. Catherine's now owned by Mr. McMahon. The two wells are connected. The water of one flows into the other. It is said that the two are holy wells and are named St. Catherine's Wells. Mr. McMahon told me that the well to the right is the Holy Well and that the other well is not.
Over the well at the right there is the model of a head. It is said that it represents St. Catherine.
The waters are believed to have the virtue of curing sore eyes. People used to come there to pray and to wash their eyes with the water. I don't know if they left rags or other articles after them at the well or not.
The water of the well to the left are used for many purposed but the waters of the other well are never used. Those who pass by stop at the this well and drink a little of the water, and perhaps pray there' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0795, Pages 101d-f; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428221/4386928).
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout
Updated by: Christine Baker
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.
Joyce, W. St. John, 1912 (1988 ed.) Neighbourhood of Dublin. Monkstown.
Nearby in the register
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Stone headunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- House - 16th/17th centuryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.