Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

With reference to the Red Earl’s Hall (GA094-100041-) Roderic O’Flaherty, writing in 1684, noted that ‘The ruines of the earle’s house called Clogh-an-hiarla, or the earl’s stone, are still extant in Galway nigh the key, where there is a well dedicated to St Brendan, patron of Enagh-duin diocess, wherein was Galway, whose feast, 16th May, usually kept holy by the key-street dwellers of old.’ (Hardiman 1846, 33). This may be identfied with that referred to in a property lease as the ‘Earl’s Well’ in 1686 (Prunty and Walsh 2016, 38). Although the precise location of this well is unknown it would appear to have been in the general area of the present Custom House.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 4 February 2018

References

Hardiman, J. (ed) 1846 A chorographical description of West or H-Iar Connaught written in A.D. 1684 by Roderic O'Flaherty, Esq. Dublin.

Prunty, J. and Walsh, P. 2016 Galway/Gaillimh Irish historic towns atlas no. 28. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.