What is recorded here

Kilronan Well is a holy well on the shores of Mannin Lake in County Mayo, Ireland, where local tradition holds that the first Christian in Connaught was baptised. A natural spring feeds a shallow rectangular pool enclosed by stone flags, while run-off channels toward the lake. The site sits beside a church and graveyard, with a modern walled enclosure containing a statue of St. Patrick and sycamore trees. Mass is still celebrated there on the last Sunday in July, keeping the old water alive in local memory.

In pasture, located at the base of a SSW-facing slope on the shores of Mannin Lake. There is a church (MA092-019001-) and graveyard (MA092-019002-) c. 30m to NW. A shallow rectangular pool (2m NE–SE; 0.8m NW-SE) enclosed by stones flags is fed by a natural spring, which emerges from the base of the slope. The run-off is channelled SW towards Mannin Lake. The well is enclosed within a modern walled enclosure (max. dim. c. 7m), D-shaped in plan, with a modern statue of St. Patrick incorporated into the enclosing wall at NE. Although named ‘Kilronan Well’ on the 1917 OS 6-inch map, the well is known in local tradition as ‘Tobar Padraic’ and is said to marks the location where the first Christian in Connaught was baptised. Mass is celebrated here on the last Sunday in July. Sycamore trees grow within the enclosure. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 18 February 2022

Kilronan Well is associated with Saint Ronan, a 7th-century Irish saint known for his healing miracles. The well was traditionally visited for curing eye ailments and general infirmities, with rituals often involving the collection of water at dawn.

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