Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy tree/bush
Lecarrow (pallas Ed), County Galway, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Lecarrow (pallas Ed)
- County
- Galway
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Bile
- Coordinates
- 53.15579, -8.34837
- SMR number
- GA117-064005-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On a slight rise in hilly pastureland and to the N of a children’s burial ground (GA117-064003-). Named ‘Holy Well’ on the 1917 edition of the OS 6-inch map and ‘Bile’ on the 1947 revision. The latter term refers to a large ancient tree that was held in veneration (Joyce 1923, 96). A number of coins have been placed on this old ash tree and in some cases the bark has grown around then, encasing the coins. The tree is still visited as the well, which consists of a pool of water that collects in the trunk, but which was dry at the time of the site visit, is believed locally to be a cure for warts. Apparently this well transferred from the tree (GA117-064001-) when it died.
Compiled by: Olive Alcock
Date of upload: 13 October 2017
References
Joyce, P.W. 1923 (1996 ed.) Irish local names explained. Dublin. Roberts Books.
Nearby in the register
- Ritual site - holy tree/bushunder 1 mi
- Children's burial groundunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.