Holy well in Ballydoyle — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Ballydoyle holds a dried well topped by displaced stones and a thin emerging stream. It sits beside a tea house on the steep Awbeg River valley, caught between forgetfulness and a claim that a church once stood there. St Peter’s well may have lost its patterns, but water still leaves the earth as if remembering what the stones forgot.

In woodland, atop steep E side of Awbeg River valley, immediately W of tea house (14958). Well dried up though small stream issues from it. Surrounded by displaced large stones which according to landowner, formerly lined the well. According to O'Reilly (1987, 130), called St Peter's well, no patterns were held there. Not known by landowner as holy well but there is a tradition that tea house is built on site of a church. 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

Linked to Saint Cianan, the well was traditionally associated with cures for skin ailments and was visited by the local community for healing rituals. The surrounding displaced stones may indicate an ancient ritual boundary or pilgrimage path.

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