Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

A monastery at Lemanaghan (Liath Manchán) was founded in the 7th century by Manchán whose feastday is celebrated on the 24th of January (Ó Riain 2011, 429). In pasture, with early Christian oratory (OF015-004006-) and Romanesque church (OF015-004003-) nearby. Recently restored well housed in modern stone surround with steps leading down to well. Large bullaun stone (OF015-004012-) located at entrance with deep central depression (diam 0.35m; D 0.2m). According to Rev. Monahan (1886, 353) there were three holy wells located at Lemanaghan which held its annual pattern day on January 24th.
When it was renovated during the 1930s, four cross-slabs in upright positions were revealed, set out in a cruciform pattern (Quinlan and Moss 2007, 29). In 1838 the antiquarian George Petrie recorded the presence of three holy wells ‘to which the blind, lame, and persons afflicted with other chronic diseases, come on the anniversary of the patron saint’s death (the 24th January) (Monahan 1886, 24). In 1938 the following folklore was recorded; ‘There is an old ash tree beside it which is supposed to have been cut at one time and grown up again in a night. People still visit the well on Fridays to get cured for warts and any other disease. They take a bit of the tree home with them. They also visit the well and do rounds at the church on the Saints feast day 24th January which is a local holiday’ (The Schools’ Collection, Vol. 0810, 138-9). In 1937 local folklore recorded that ‘Toothache is cured by going to St. Manchan’s Well and praying at it and by putting some of the water in the tooth’ (The Schools’ Collection, Vol. 0810, 47). Headaches were cure by praying to Saint Manchan and placing your head in a certain part of St Manchan’s Church (The Schools’ Collection, Vol. 0810, 121). People go to Saint Manchan’s Well on a Friday and rub a bit of the ash tree on the wart’ (The Schools’ Collection, Vol. 0810, 119).

The holy well is part of an archaeological complex consisting of an ecclesiastical enclosure (OF015-004008-),a tower house (OF015-004001-), church (OF015-004003-), several early christian cross-slabs (OF015-004005-/032-) and architectural fragments in the interior of the church. To the NW there is a rectangular building (OF015-004009-) possibly of late medieval date. Possible oratory or hermitage (OF015-004006-) and togher (OF015-004011) located to the SE of the main church.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 14 September 2018

References

Monahan, Rev. J. 1886 Records relating to the dioceses of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise. Dublin. M.H. Gill and Son.

Ó Riain, P. 2011 A dictionary of Irish Saints. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Quinlan, M. and Moss, R. 2007 Lemanaghan County Offaly Conservation Plan. Heritage Council. Kilkenny.