Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Ballyallinan North, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballyallinan North
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- St. Bernards Well
- Latest-edition OS map
- St. Bernards Well (1923)
- Coordinates
- 52.48646, -8.95786
- SMR number
- LI029-056003-
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
In pasture, in natural dip in W-facing slope. Circular pool of water (diam. 10m), enclosed by metal tubular railing set in concrete W-ESE. Five concrete steps, at SSW side, descending to well. Water is drained away through concrete pipe at NNW. Pool overhung by mature ash tree. According to Ó Danachair (1955, 204) well, devoted to St. Bernard, was visited in the 1950s on 20th of August, Good Friday and other days. Water said to cure lameness, sore eyes and rheumatism.
Holy well standing 34m W of church ruins (LI029-056001-) and children's burial ground(LI029-056002-) described in 1840 as 'About thirty yards [27m] to the southwest of this building [LI029-056001-] is a well called Tobar Beinid, that is Beinid's Well, which is a strong spring with a large ash tree standing over it and is much frequented as is evident from the number of rags on the tree, being half covered with them. It cures sore eyes' (OSL, 62).
The following folklore was recorded from Rathkeale National School about St. Bernard's Well ; 'St. Bernard's well, situated in the middle of a field on the South East of the passage leading to Ballyallinan Castle, about 2 1/2 miles South West of Rathkeale. This well has for patron St. Bernard. It is surrounded by white thorn trees' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0501, Page 031; accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922010/4918031).
See attached photos taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00335 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31062; F025.21.00333 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/17043 and F025.21.00337 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31064.
See attached colour photographs courtesy of Amanda Clarke
Compiled by: Denis Power
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 1 October 2020
References
OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.
Ó Danachair, C. 1955 The holy wells of Co. Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 193-217.
Nearby in the register
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
- Children's burial groundunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
- Castle - tower houseunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.