Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

On a hummock in grassland, c. 25m S of a stream. A natural spring well, dedicated to St Grellan, comprising an unroofed circular well-chamber (D 1.55m) of roughly cut stone. The entrance is at E, where stone steps lead to the water. According to OS Letters (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 511-12), this well 'was formerly looked upon as a most miraculous spring' and a pattern was held on the 29th of September. The Rev. Fr. Egan recorded (1960, 8) that ‘Nowadays, only a faithful few go to the well and they have great faith in the miraculous powers of the water, which is regarded as a cure for many ills in animals and humans. The devotion follows the usual pattern, recitation of a prescribed number of Paters, Aves and Glorias and drinking of water from the well. When leaving, some insignificant object is deposited there; a relic, no doubt, of the age-long widespread custom of giving some valued possession as a votive offering to a scared shrine.’ (Alcock et al. 1999, no. 3576)

Revised by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 2 October 2017

References

Alcock, O., de Hora, K. and Gosling, P. 1999 Archaeological Inventory of County Galway. Vol. II. North Galway. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Egan, P.K. 1960 The parish of Ballinasloe, its history from the earliest times to the present day. Dublin. Clonmore and Reynolds.