What is recorded here
St. Tiernan's Well in Kiltiernan, County Dublin, is an unmarked holy water source hidden among weeds and brambles near the church ruins. Wakeman recorded in 1891 that the well was almost smothered but still remembered by a few, suggesting it remained a living ritual place even as its exact location faded from common knowledge. The water may have sustained prayer, healing or quiet remembrance for generations before becoming a guess rather than a destination.
Wakeman (1891, 700) recorded that; 'The holy well of St. Tiernan, almost smothered by weeds and brambles, stands close at hand, and is still remembered by a few'. St. Tiernan's Well was located in the vicinity of Kiltiernan Church (DU026-020001-) in the parish of Kiltiernan. The precise location of St. Tiernan's Well in the vicinity of the church ruins at Kiltiernan has not been identified.
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Padraig Clancy.
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 21 April 2023
Linked to St. Tiernan, the holy well was traditionally associated with healing and pilgrimage. Local tradition remembers the saint as a figure of spiritual significance, though specific cures or rituals connected to the well are not well documented.
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
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