Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

In a broad flat river valley, c. 60m N of the Nuenna River and c, 16m S of the road. According to the OS Letters (1839), the well, 'in the Townland of Tobar na Peisté to which it gave its name signifying the Well of the Worm in which it is said people were accustomed to wash their hands to cure the worm. Chúm siúbhal Péiste do Leigheis' (O'Flanagan ed. 1930, vol. 1, 188 (62-3)). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 256), 'It is reputed holy. There is a tradition that a Saint, name forgotten, attacked and slew the piast here, and that, when exhausted and parched with thirst, after the encounter, the well miraculously burst forth to refresh him'. The well is no longer venerated. There is a concrete covering over the well which appears to be c. 10m S of the location indicated on the 25-inch OS map.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 8 February 2018

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1930 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Kilkenny collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Bray.