Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

St. Senan's Well in the parish of Saggart, is a natural spring well on W side of Slade river valley. Annotated 'Well' on the 1863 ed. OSi 25-inch map. Dedicated to St. Senan (Ó Danachair 1958, 83). Folklore collected from Saggart School recorded the following details about this well; 'There are two holy wells in our parish. St. Patrick's well and Tobar Senan. There is a well about a mile from Saggart. It is in the Slade. It is called Tobar Senan. People use the water of this well for churning. It is said that it is lucky water for making butter' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Pages 5-6; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386326/4450322).
Another story collected from Saggart School about this well recorded that; 'There are three holy wells near the village of Saggart. These are called St. Patrick's Well [DU021-045----], Tobar Seanáin and Tobar Moling [DU021-051----]. Tobar Seanáin is situated in the townland of Saggart. It is out in a field. Toothache is said the be cured in it. The water is still used for household use. Farmers use it for the making of butter. They say that the butter tastes much nicer when made from this water' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Pages 3-4; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386304). Folklore collected from Saggart School recorded that; 'Tobar Seanán is situated about a mile from the village of Saggart. It is in a field (Byrne's field) with a stone covering it' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Page 33; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386297/4450347).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 20 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.