Ladys Well

Marked on the 1839 and 1925 eds of the OS 6-inch map and described in gothic lettering as Lady’s Well on both. It is located at the bottom of an E-facing slope, cut into a natural scarp (Wth 5m; H 2.5m) with the N-S Owenduff stream c. 70m to the E. The well is a circular feature (diam. c. 2.7m) with drystone walling (H 1.4m) retaining the scarp. Water seeps into the wooded valley, but there is no record of veneration, or any evidence of it. Archaeological monitoring (15E0412) of a gas pipeline c. 30m to the N in Area 8 produced no related material (Sutton 2018; excavations.ie 2015:422). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 18 February, 2013 Amended: 19 October 2020

Linked to a local tradition of healing and pilgrimage, Lady’s Well is associated with a female saint or local figure, common in Irish holy well lore where such sites were often dedicated to the Virgin Mary or a regional holy woman. The well’s long recorded history, from the early 19th century, suggests continuity of use and reverence in the local community.