Crannavella Tree

In pasture, c. 60m N of burial ground and church (14596,14436). No visible surface trace. 'Crannavella Tree' marks site on 1842, 1905 and 1936 OS 6-inch maps; tree no longer survives though it stood within living memory. According to local information, tree said to have grown on site of holy well which moved to Newtown South (14027) after clothes were washed in it; second local story relates that it was used as a hanging tree. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

The Crannavella Tree was traditionally associated with local healing practices and may have been linked to a saintly or pre-Christian ritual tradition, given its long-standing recognition on historical maps and its location near a burial ground and church. The tree’s name, possibly derived from the Irish *crann mhaíl* (holy tree), suggests a site of spiritual or folkloric significance.