Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map as 'St. Dallan's Well', this is the original location of the holy well which was subsequently moved c. 40m to the N (see KK023-054----). According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 376), 'the well was removed to its present position by the Flood family. The old basin, however, remains uninjured, about 40 yds. to the north [actually to the S], beside the fosse of a small square rath [KK023-100----]. A drain conveys the water, underground, from the old well to the new one. A pattern was held at the well on the first Sunday of August, till the early part of the 19th century, but tradition says that the people attended it were divided as to whether the real pattern day, that is, the feast day of the saint, was the first day of August or the third'. Satellite imagery (Google Earth, imagery date 25 April 2021) shows that the area of scrub where this well was formerly located has been reclaimed.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 17 August 2021

References

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