Holy well in Kilpadder

In a wooded area c. 30m E of St Peter's Well (KE094-001001-). This well, which according to Capt. D. B. O'Connell is dedicated to St Paul (KAS), is situated at the E edge of a roughly oval area (diam. c. 80m E-W) which is enclosed by an earthen bank and accessed by a gate at W. Inside the enclosing bank is a path around which pilgrims to the well walk while making the 'rounds'. The well is at the E edge of this path. Water flows from the base of a N-facing, moss-covered stone wall, which is flanked to the E and W by outcropping rock. This forms an irregular-shaped well (1m N-S; 0.65m E-W; D 0.15m) from which water flows downslope to the N. A statue stands on the outcropping rock on the W side of the well. Nearby, a cross and statue are housed within a purpose-built shelter. 'Rounds' continue to be made here on 28/29 June. St Peter's well is the first station and St Paul's well is the second station visited during the 'rounds' (Anon. 1985, 15). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011

Dedicated to St Paul, the well is associated with traditional Catholic pilgrimage practices and may have been a site of local devotion, particularly in times of religious persecution in Ireland. Little specific folklore or recorded cures are attached to the site, but its location near another holy well suggests it was part of a broader network of sacred wells in the area.