Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

On a N-facing slope in grassland, at the foot of a rock outcrop. This is one of a series of three holy wells, all natural springs, dedicated to St Brendan (GA098-068001-, GA098-068002-, and GA098-068003-). GA098-068003- is located c. 25m to the E of GA098-068001-, and 2m to the S of GA098-068002-. GA098-068003- is the best-preserved of the three wells. It is defined by a D-shaped drystone wall (1.8m EW; 1.2m NS; D 0.9m), with a tree growing beside it. An underground stream flows N from this well towards the main stream, which runs from GA098-068001-. There was a cross (GA098-068----) located between the W and E wells. The OS Letters (O’Flanagan 1927, Vol. 2, 80) mention two ‘very celebrated holy wells called (…) St Brendan’s well’ where ‘turrises are performed on Sundays and Fridays’, and when last visited a jar containing coins beneath an adjacent rock suggested it was still in use at the time.

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 9 January 2023

References

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1927 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Galway collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Typescript in 3 vols. Bray.