Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

In a low-lying position, c. 600m NW of the site of St Coman's church site (RO039-043006-). An overgrown hollow (diam. c. 4m; D 0.5m) which is now dry was, according to J. O'Donovan in the 1830s, venerated in the 19th century when a rag bush stood beside it (O' Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 46). The crucifixion plaque now in Chapel Lane (RO039-043005-) originally may have come from here (Siggins 1998c). Excavation (04E1413) revealed the triangular shape of the natural spring (dims 4.45m x 3.65m), recovering modern artefacts in its upper layers. A rectangular pit (RO039-047001-) (dims 1.5m x 0.8m; D 0.35m) lay just to the N, and another rectangular pit (RO039-047002-) (dims 2.35m x 2.1m; D 0.3m) was just to the SE, but no artefacts were recovered from either pit, or the well. (Lohan 2007)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

Lohan, K. 2007 Mart Lane/Circular Road, Roscommon. Holy Well. in I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2004: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 382, No. 1482. Dublin, Wordwell

Siggins, A. 1998c Front cover. Journal of the County Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 7, 4.