Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Annotated 'Grumley's Well' on 1837 ed. OSi 6-inch map and also known locally as 'The Ticknock Well'. A roadside spring in the parish of Taney that is enclosed by a railing. Known as 'Grumleys' Well. The well was described in 1958 as follows; 'A good well, built up and covered over. On the roof slab are carved IHS. A cross and two chalices this was done a about sixty years ago. Now for domestic use only, but was visited formerly for the cure of ailments. The water was drunk, affected members bathed and some prayers said. Rags were hung on the bushes as offerings' (Ó Danachair 1958, 84). It is now overgrown.
Folklore collected from Sandyford School recorded the following details about 'The Ticknock Well'; 'There is a holy well on our land. It is said that It is a blessed well. When my father was young people used to come And bathe their eyes at it. It was supposed to cure sore eyes. People tied a piece of rag on the bush beside it when they came. There are several big stones around it The one over it has carving on it. My grandfather did it. We are known as the "well" Mulligan because there are other families of Mulligan lived in Ticknock. We always had the Well farm' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0797, Page 249; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428236/4387487/4458994)

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.