Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on flat poorly drained land, there are no surface remains visible of filled-in holy well dedicated to St. Bridget and marked on all editions of the OS 6-inch maps as 'Brides Well'. Holy well located 40m N of a stream and 680m WNW of St. David's Church, Ardnurcher. In 1422 the Annals of Connacht recorded the following event which occurred at St. Bridget's Holy Well. In this year the Annals recorded that 'The sons of O Mailsechlainn made an attack on Ardnurcher (WM031-104----). Mag Eochacan was in the castle (WM031-099----) with a few men at that time, having with him also Cosnamach Oc [Óg] Mac Aedacain, law-ollav of the Cenel Fiachach and the Ui Failgi. The brehon mounted his horse and rode after them, thinking them to be the sons of Muirchertach Oc [Óg] Mac Eochacain, who were in rebellion against Mac Eochacain at the time, he himself having come [to the castle] to make settlement between the parties. He followed the band westwards out of the town to Topar Brigte [St. Brigid's Well]. Here the sons of O Mailsechlainn were waiting and at the noise of the rider they discharged the arrows which were ready in their bows and Cosnamach Oc [Óg] was killed without delays by an arrow-shot' (Ann. Conn., 461).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 13 August 2014

References

Ann. Conn. - Annála Connacht, The Annals of Connacht, 1224-1544, ed. A. Martin Freeman (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1944)