Holy well in Unknown Townland — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

St Fintan's Well hid in Phoenix Park, possibly the Spa Well near the zoological gardens, the Poor Man's Well beside Blackhorse Avenue, or a forgotten pool in the moat near the western gate. People likely drank from it during illness or simply sought relief from city heat, trusting water marked by a saint to carry more than ordinary purity. The park swallowed the exact stone, but the choice of three places suggests the well remained alive in memory long after the surface disappeared.

A holy well known as St Fintan's Well was located at one of three possible sites identified by Ó Danachair (1958, 76) who recorded the following details; ' "St. Fintan's Well" is said to be in or near Phoenix Park. It is variously identified with (a) 'The Spa Well' [ITM coords 712798/735402] at the north western end of the Zoological Gardens, (b) "The Poor Man's Well" [ITM coords 709861 / 736752] beside Blackhorse Avenue on the northern boundary of the Park and (c) a well [ITM Coords 711494/735821] in the moat of the sunk fence beside the western gate of Áras an Uachtaráin. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 25 January 2023

St Fintan's Well is associated with St Fintan of Clonard, a 6th-century Irish monk and scholar known for his role in early Christian education. The well may have been visited for healing or as part of seasonal rituals, though specific cures or traditions linked to this site remain undocumented.

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