Holy well in Ballymooney

Situated on the summit of Church Mountain. Circular shaft (D 1.8-2m) excavated through the body of a cairn (WI015-029002-). Known locally 'St Gad's Well', it occurs on the W side of an enclosure constructed from the hollowed interior of the cairn which also contains the remains of a church (WI015-029001-). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008

Linked to St Gad, the well is associated with healing traditions and may have been a site of early Christian pilgrimage. Local folklore suggests the cairn and enclosure may predate the Christian era, with the holy well later incorporated into Christian practice.