Indicated

Associated with the ecclesiastical remains at the SE end of Cruach na Cara/St Macdara’s Island and located immediately to the E of the church (GA076-020001-). Described by Bigger (1896, 104-6) as ‘a stone enclosure, heaped with stones, known as the Saint’s Bed’, this leacht is roughly rectangular in plan and its limits are marked by irregular granite boulders on the N, E and S sides. The W limit is defined by a very large granite slab (L 1.55m) which decreases in height and thickness from N (H 0.62m; T 0.25m) to S (H 0.55m; T 0.16m). The interior is strewn with boulders. There are four other leachta or penitential stations nearby - see GA076-020003-, GA076-020004-, GA076-020006- and GA076-020010-. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 6 June 2018

Linked to St Macdara, an early Irish saint associated with the care of animals and the protection of flocks, the holy well reflects a tradition of seeking divine intercession for livestock health. Local folklore suggests that the site was used by shepherds who made offerings of coins or prayers for the safety and prosperity of their herds.