Holy well in St. Edmonds

A wooden statue of St Maelruan or Maol Ruain, gothic in style (H c. 66cm) and representing a bishop was found in the 19th century at the saint's well (MacLeod 1946, 162-4). St. Maol Ruain founded the monastery of Tallaght, Co. Dublin in 774 and was a leading light in the Céli Dé movement in the Irish church. He died in 792 and his feast was on the 7th of July (Ó Riain 2011, 445-6), which was celebrated at the well (Mac Leod 1946). Although there are many stories about the statue returning to this area (Ranson 1920), it was stolen about 1980 and has not returned. The well is in a little wooded N-S valley and is described locally as being on the W bank of the stream, and c. 10m from it. The well was c. 50m S of the WNW-ESE public road, and it is now back filled and not recognisable. Archaeological testing (21E0614) by Y. Whitty c. 100m to the W produced no related material (excavations.ie 2021:147). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 18 December, 2012

Linked to St. Maol Ruain (Maelruan), a 7th-century Irish saint and founder of the monastery of Tallaght in County Dublin, the holy well is associated with his legacy and veneration. The discovery of a 19th-century wooden statue of the saint at the site suggests continued local devotion to him, particularly in connection with the well’s healing properties.