Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

St. Patrick's Well in the parish of Saggart is a natural spring alongside a field boundary in a field of rough pasture which falls away to the N. There are traces of dry stone walling around it. The site is marked by elder bushes (Ó Danachair 1958, 82). No longer venerated.
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 [DU021-043----]. St. Patrick's well is in the townland of Boherboy in Cullens field. it is a spring well. It is said that people have tried to drain it by vessels. it would seem that none had been taken out of it. No water appears to flow in or out of it. Long, long ago there was an altar there and masses were often said on it for the sick. People paid visits to wells on certain occasions. It is said St. Patrick used that well in baptising the people of the Parish. In later years robbers came and broke the altar and the people believed that the blessing was gone from the well on account of that' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Pages 5-6; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/43863262).
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, Tobar Seanáin and Tobar Moling [DU021-051----]. St. Patrick's well is situated in the townland of Saggart. It is about fifteen minutes walk from the national school. This well has been drained many times but it has been filled again just as soon as the water has been taken from it. This well has not been noted for any particular cure. It used to be kept clean but it is not kept in a very good condition now' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Page 3; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386277).

See attached photos taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00349 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16732; F024.06.00350 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/46722 and F024.06.00351 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/46723.

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.