Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Ballyvorheen (owneybeg By.), County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballyvorheen (owneybeg By.)
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Tobermoria
- Latest-edition OS map
- Tobermoria (1927)
- Coordinates
- 52.63841, -8.35847
- SMR number
- LI015-001----
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 at the S extent of a low mound on a N-facing slope which descends to a stream in poorly drained, undulating pasture. Sheltered to N, E, S and with moderate views to W. Ó Danachair (1955, 213) describes it as 'a small spring issuing beneath the roots of an old willow tree, roughly built with dry stone, in a little glade'; the water said to cure sore eyes and there is a legend that St. Patrick blessed the well (ibid.). It is evident as a shallow sub-oval depression (2.9m NW-SE; 2.6m NE-SW) containing a pool of water. There are no signs of devotions being paid here now nor any trace of the willow tree.
See attached photos taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00283 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24548 and F025.21.00282 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/17026.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 1 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
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Burial groundunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Castle - motte and baileyunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.