What is recorded here

Two wells sit twenty metres apart in Ballinvally, County Carlow, ringed in careful dry stone, one beneath the roots of a tree felled after living one hundred and forty years. John O'Donovan recorded that a patron was still held there until 1798, the year rebellion broke across County Carlow and large gatherings became dangerous. Local tradition reaches further back still, naming the place as monastic, while the grass around the pools keeps the buried lines of farmyard haggards visible. What is certain is the water, the stone, and the sudden silence that fell on the feast when the country turned violent.

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 July 2007 Spring between large boulders, probably deliberately placed. Steps down to well not visible at time of inspection.

Linked to Saint Crea, the holy well at Ballinacrea was traditionally associated with healing and was visited for cures related to skin ailments and general well-being. The site reflects a long-standing Christian and pre-Christian tradition of water worship in Ireland.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.