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Holy well in Kildalkey

Holy well

What is recorded here

Located in a hollow in a fairly level landscape. John O’Donovan writing in the 1830s describes Tobar Damhnata as almost dried up (Herity 2001, 67), but the dedication was compounded with Dympna of Gheel in Belgium, the patron saint of the mentally ill whose feastday is on May 15th. The well is depicted but not named…

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Located in a hollow in a fairly level landscape. John O’Donovan writing in the 1830s describes Tobar Damhnata as almost dried up (Herity 2001, 67), but the dedication was compounded with Dympna of Gheel in Belgium, the patron saint of the mentally ill whose feastday is on May 15th. The well is depicted but not named on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map, and it is not represented on later maps. The well was restored by a local group in 2000 (French 2012, 69-71). It is now a rectangular stone-lined well (int. dims 0.85m E-W; 0.7m N-S; D 0.5m) approached by three steps from the W. It is within a cobbled enclosure (int. diam. 3.2m) with some offering, which is defined by a masonry wall (Wth 0.4m; H 1.15m).

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record ME029-020002

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

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Photo credits
  • Rathkennamike2, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
  • Mike Searle, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • John M, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Billy Irwin, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • N Chadwick, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • surrealpenguin, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Sitomon, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
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