Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Rossbrien, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rossbrien
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Outlined
- Latest-edition OS map
- St. Dominicks Well (1924)
- Coordinates
- 52.63837, -8.63112
- SMR number
- LI013-018----
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
Situated immediately NE of an overgrown trackway, in flat meadowland. The monument is heavily masked by dense scrub vegetation. A rectangular area (L 19m N-S by Wth 7.8m E-W) is enclosed by a dilapidated field wall. The ground is raised (D 0.3m) with rubble and cut by a recent channel, except to the SW where a smaller rectangular area (c. 3m N-S by 2.5m E-W) with an entrance (Wth 0.9m) to the N, is enclosed by partly collapsed mortared stone walls. Ó Danachair (1955, 214) describes it as 'a small well, about four feet deep, with steps leading down'. It was associated with a cure for eye ailments (ibid.).
See attached photo taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00415 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/17068.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 2 October 2020
References
Ó Danachair, C. 1955 The Holy Wells of County Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 85, 193-217.
Nearby in the register
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Burnt moundunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.