Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Church ruins (LI001-004001-) of a possible Franciscan friary or an early Christian monastery stands on the grounds of 'Cloon Island Ho.' (NIAH Reg. No. 21807009) located 20m to the SW. Two early Christian cross-slabs (LI001-004002-/003-) are incorporated into the W gable of this church. Building annotated 'Friary' on 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map, and stands on top of 'Cloon Island', overlooking the River Shannon from SW-W-N with the village of Castleconnell to SE. The Anglo-Norman castle (LI001-003----) of Castleconnell stands 300m to S and the medieval parish church (LI001-002001-) lies 830m to S. According to the Ordnance Survey Letters, 'Cloon House' may have been built on the site of a holy well.
In 1840 the Ordnance Survey Letters for Stradbally parish recorded the following local tradition about Cloon House; 'It is said to have been built by a man named Burke, who became insane and died as the result of stopping a blessed well, which had formerly been where Cloon House now stands, and the waters of which had cured the blind and the lame. the house is said to be still haunted by some invisible being. As regards the well, it is said that, after being stopped by Burke, it burst forth on the edge of the Shannon, through which it flows without mingling, so that its water can be taken out of the river without any mixture with the river water' (OSL Stradbally Parish).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 1 May 2020