Holy well in Lios Deargáin

A spring well which now supplies water to a dwelling-house in the nearby village. It lies about 200m NE of a large early ecclesiastical enclosure and calluragh (KE043-190001-) and in 1960 rounds were still being made at the well and at the calluragh on Good Friday (Ó Danachair 1960, 72). Ó Danachair (1960, 72) recorded the following details about this well; 'A small spring well about two hundred yards from the lios which is marked "Penitential Station" on 1842 map; this lios was used as a children's burial place. Rounds are still made on Good Friday, but by very few; the rounds are made partly at the lios and partly at the well'. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 956. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 7 August 2013

The holy well in Lios Deargáin is associated with early Christian tradition and may have been linked to the nearby ecclesiastical enclosure. In 1960, it was still the subject of local pilgrimages or "rounds," suggesting a long-standing ritual or devotional practice.