Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Rylanes (connello Upper By.), County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rylanes (connello Upper By.)
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Johns Well
- Latest-edition OS map
- Johns Well (1923).
- Coordinates
- 52.47697, -8.85774
- SMR number
- LI029-112----
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 wooded area, on NW-facing marshy slope. Spring well consists of a muddy pool of water (1.6m N-S; 2m E-W) with large ash tree overhanging at SE verge. A small boulder partially blocks well outlet at N creating drinking area for cattle (D 0.3m). Ash tree was noted in 1840 when well described as ''reputed holy' (OSL, vol. 2, 25); no devotions noted at well in 1950s (Ó Danachair 1955, 204).
See attached photos taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00383 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24527; F025.21.00382 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/17057 and F025.21.00384 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24528.
Compiled by: Denis Power
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 2 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
- Religious house - Franciscan Third Order Regularunder 1 mi
- Castle - motteunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.