Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

In grassland on an E-facing slope overlooking small stream to E with rising grassland to W, in upland region. Covered well located in overgrown bushes and trees which has been fenced off from the surrounding land which has resulted in the well becoming overgrown and difficult to examine. Well covered by a rectangular vaulted building (int. dims. 1.60m N-S; E-W 4.3m; wall T 1m; H 2m) roughly orientated E-W with a small window in the W gable. Unfortunately the building has been covered in a concrete pebble dash and the roof has been covered in concrete. Inside the building the underside of the vault has been partially covered in concrete. The interior is accessed via a doorway located at the W end of the N wall. Within there is a small water channel (Wth 0.7m; D 0.5m) running the length of the building. The roof of the chamber is barrel-vaulted with evidence of wicker centring on the underside of the vault. Immediately inside the doorway there is evidence of a cut stone with hammer-dressed surface contained within a drafted margin of 15th/16th century style. Known locally as Perry's Well named after the Perry family who lived in the area for many generations and possibly associated with an old abbey located in the area of which now there are no remains (Hassett 1990, 286-7, Hemphill 1912, 1912, 325-30). The well is supposed to have powers of curing and was once a place of pilgrimage for people to go for cures especially sores for their feet (ibid). According to Ó hÓgáin (1981, 71), cited in Ó Cearbhaill (2007, 76) of an account of the well in 1864, it states that 'the well is yet held sacred by the people, and there are several stone images inside the wall around it'. One of the stones at the well is decorated with three dancing figures in a folk art style.
On the right hand the window in the gable there was a carved figure of the Blessed Virgin and on the left had side there was an iron figure of an old man with bare legs and arms, eyes shut and flowing beard dressed in a tunic which below the belt was a kilt (Hemphill 1912, 325-30). No remains visible of iron figure in the vicinity of the well or the building. A carved stone pieta from a 16th-century altar-tomb (TS054-038002-) was found lying prostrate on ground to W of gable. According to Hemphill large crowds of pilgrims gathered in front of the W gable and kneeled down in prayer in front of the figures (Hemphill 1912, 325-6).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 31 January 2023

References

Hemphill, Rev. S. 1912 The holy well at Killboy. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 42, 325-30.

Hassett, J. J. (ed.) 1990 The history & folklore of Killenaule-Moyglass. FÁS project in association with Killenaule/Moyglass Community History Committee.

Ó Cearbhaill, P. 2007 Logainmneacha na hÉireann II: Cill i logainmneacha Co. Thiobraid Árann. The Stationery Office. Dublin.