Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Holy well associated with St. Fiac of Sleaty monastery (LA032-018001-) whose name was anglicized as Feeg (Ó Riain 2011, 315). No well is marked on the 1839 or 1907 editions of the OS 6-inch map. According to the Ordnance Survey letters this well was known locally as Tober-Feeg and was located near Sleaty church (LA032-018001-) (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 22-40). Described by Comerford as 'There was also a holy well near this church called Tober-Feeg, but it is now stopped up' (Comerford 1886, vol. 3, 249). According to local information (pers. comm. Sean Murray) a natural spring well located on flat poorly drained marshy land, 390m to the NE of Sleaty church (LA032-018001-) marks the site of 'Tober Feeg'. A collapsed tree marks the site of the well which is located immediately W of a stream flowing N-S. The well is located on flat poorly drained land with higher dry land immediately to W. The feastday of St. Fiac was commemorated on the 12th of October (Ó Riain 2011, 315).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Updated by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 23 March 2015

References

Comerford, Rev. M. 1883-6 Collections relating to the dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin, 3 vols. James Duffy and Sons. Dublin.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1933 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the Queen's County, collected during progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Typescript in 2 vols. Bray.

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.