What is recorded here

Ladys Well is a holy well in County Cork, Ireland, sitting in pasture on a north-facing slope beside the ruins of Ringrone castle. A brick wall still encloses the water, though cattle now drink from it as if the sacred and the ordinary had stopped arguing. The well may have served travellers, herders, or worshippers before becoming a trough, but its boundary remains drawn in brick rather than forgotten.

In pasture, on N-facing slope. Enclosed by brick wall; used as cattle trough. Ringrone castle (in ruins) (CO125-001---) nearby. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Linked to a local tradition of healing, the well may have been dedicated to a saint or local spirit associated with protection and fertility. Its use as a cattle trough suggests a continuation of ritual practice, blending folk belief with agricultural function.

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