Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

On a S-facing slope in grassland close to the head of Loughnahalla Bay. According to Holt (1912, 246-7), this holy well, associated with ‘St. Sornia’, had ‘virture on any Friday’ but was mainly patronised on Garland Sunday, the last Sunday in July. It consists of a subcircular drystone-lined well shaft (dims. 1.15-1.25m; D 0.4m), at the base of which is a naturally hollowed-out stone basin. The well occupies the W end of a small rectangular enclosure (4.3m E-W; 3.2m N-S), defined by a wall (Wth 0.5-1.3m; H 1.2m) constructed of angular limestone boulders, which Holt (ibid.) noted was built by a person ‘who recovered his sight after bathing his eyes in the well water.’ A number of mature ash trees now growing within the enclosed area have caused the partial collapse of the wall. There is an entrance gap (Wth 0.45m) at E, where four flagstones lead down to the well. Holt (ibid.) further noted that on visiting the well, ‘Devotees’ then proceeded to visit ‘St. Sornia’s cell’ (see GA102-005002-), which lies c. 60m to the NW.

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG and Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 19 December 2022

References

Holt, E.W.L. 1911-12 Notes on the Ordnance Survey Letters relating to the barony of Dunkellin: iii - Ballynacourty parish. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 7, 205-51.

McCaffrey, P. 1952 A contribution to the archaeology of the barony of Dunkellin, Co. Galway. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.