What is recorded here

Holy well in Castlenalact, County Cork. In 1931 Ó Riordain found no visible trace, only a whitethorn bush growing over the place and rounds no longer paid. The water may have kept flowing beneath the tillage while people stopped bringing gifts, turning a lived ritual into a forgotten line in a book.

In tillage, near road. No visible surface trace. According to Ó Riordain (1931, 64) a whitethorn bush grew over it and 'rounds are no longer paid here'. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 1: West Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1992). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009 Images provided by and copyright of Amanda Clarke 2016-2022 https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/

This holy well was traditionally associated with Saint Gobnait, a 6th-century Irish saint known for her healing powers and connection to bees. The absence of rounds being paid and the mention of a whitethorn bush suggest a decline in ritual activity and possible Christianization of earlier pagan healing practices.

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