Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Irishtown (duleek Upper By., Moorechurch Par.), County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Irishtown (duleek Upper By., Moorechurch Par.)
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.65973, -6.23003
- SMR number
- ME028-063----
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 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
Located on the foreshore above high water mark and just E of the railway embankment. The well is dedicated to St. Patrick and had a pattern from Julianstown in the nineteenth century (Herity 2001, 52) until 1912 when the last one was held (French 2011, 51). There is a folk tale that St Benignus was baptised by St. Patrick at this well and promptly died (IFC: vol. 685, 193, 262). The well is a natural spring (diam. c. 3m) with a surround of stone slabs and it is situated between two bushes, but there is no evidence of veneration.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 10 September, 2018
References
IFC Schools' MSS: Irish Folklore Commission Schools' Manuscripts. Department of Folklore. University College, Dublin.
French, N. 2012 Meath Holy Wells. Meath Heritage Centre
Herity, M. (ed.) 2001 Ordnance Survey Letters: Meath. Dublin. Four Masters Press
Nearby in the register
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.