Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Marked only on the 1924-5 ed. of the OS 6-inch map, although called Tober Beaglaoich by John O' Donovan writing in the 1830s (Herity 2010, 15). The well, church and townland were named after Beag Bile, a saint associated with Tullaghobegly church, Co. Donegal (DG025-024----), who was also honoured here. The saint's feastday fell on the 1st November (Ó Riain 2011, 91-2), and while this well had a pattern in the 19th century (OS Name Books) the date is unknown. The well is situated towards the bottom of a steep SW-facing slope. It is a circular well (int. diam. 0.7m x 0.8m; D 0.8m) defined by a drystone wall which is open to the SW with two steps leading into it and a holy bush (RO054-026002-) with rags adjacent. Kilbegly Church (RO054-027001-) is c. 260m to the NE, and the corn-drying kiln (RO054-069----) is c. 180m to the NW.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revised upload: 24 August 2010

References

OSNB 25-inch. Ordnance Survey Name Books compiled in the course of the 1:2500 survey of Ireland. National Archives of Ireland.

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

Herity, M. (ed.) 2010 Ordnance Survey Letters, Roscommon. Dublin, Fourmasters Press