Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Holy well marked on all editions of the OS 6-inch maps as 'St. Kevin's Keeve'. Described by Healy (1972, 150) as ‘St. Kevin's Keeve (bath) is located on the Glendasan River just below the old disused dam. It is a natural pool approximately four by two metre and one metre deep. The site of St. Kevin's Bush (WI023-047----) is on the northern bank directly above the Keeve.
The bush (WI023-047---) no longer exists but there is still a semi-circular bank twelve metres across partly cut out of the hill slope and partly built of large boulders and stones. Within the curve of this bank is a line of dry stone walling. St. Kevin's Road (WI023-001-----) lies on the north side of this feature. The pool in the bed of the river described by Healy is depicted on the 25-inch OS map.

According to Lynch (1994, 638) the 1930s Irish Folklore Commission manuscripts recorded that a 'well which St Kevin blessed and in which he left a cure. Long ago on the 3rd of June every year people used to pray at this well and to be cured of disease. When leaving the well they used to tie a piece of cloth a a tree over the well. This tree went by the name of St Kevin's tree' (IFC S 917: 327).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 17 December 2012

References

Healy, P. 1972 Supplementary survey of ancient monuments at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. Unpublished OPW report.

Lynch, G. 1994 The holy wells of county Wicklow: traditions and legends. In K. Hannigan and W. Nolan (eds), Wicklow history and society, 625-48. Dublin. Geography Publications.