Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pastureland, c. 14m to the S of a stream. Named ‘Toberblanra’ on the 1838 edition of the OS 6-inch map but known locally as ‘Lady’s Well’, this monument is still a place of pilgrimage. On inspection in November 1983, it consisted of a pool of water (1.4m N-S; 1.37m E-W; max. D 1.4m), with a tree on either side, within the NW area of a roughly square, mainly drystone-built enclosure (max. dims. 4.6m N-S; 4.2m E-W) with an entrance gap (Wth 1.45m) opening to the SE. A small recess (Wth 0.75m; H 0.4m; D 0.3m), at the E end of the N side of the enclosing wall, contained various modern objects of devotion and a possible carved stone, the latter was difficult to determine because of a heavy coating of whitewash. A concrete pier had been constructed immediately outside the wall, to the W of the entrance gap. A large statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, placed in a glazed box, stood upon it and a there was a smaller boxed statue beside it, to the right. On the opposite side of the gap, a curious arrangement of stones appeared to form a kneeling pad against the wall. A well-beaten pathway surrounded the enclosure and the base of a cross (GA084-022002-) was noted c. 4m to the SW of the well. Considerable work has since been carried out on the well and its environs as part of FÁS Schemes from 1987 to 1989, and in the 1990s when the area was developed as a park to celebrate the millennium year, 2000 (https://athenryparishheritage.com/our-ladys-well-by-canon-tony-king-p-p/ last accessed 5 January 2023).

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG and Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 9 January 2023

References

Freeman, A.M. (ed.) 1944 (Reprint 1970) Annála Connacht. The annals of Connacht (A.D. 1224-1544). The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.