What is recorded here

Sweat Ho is a vanished sweathouse hidden on the west bank of a narrow stream beside an abandoned farmhouse in County Leitrim. It appears only on a 1907 map, suggesting people once built heat and darkness there before forgetting the exact stones. The land may still hold a shallow pit, buried roof stones or a flattened rim, but the living memory has slipped away.

Located on the W bank of a S-N stream, c. 50m S of an abandoned farmhouse. It is marked only on the 1907 edition of the OS 6-inch map. No feature is visible at ground level. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 September 2008

Linked to Saint Ho, a lesser-known early Irish saint associated with healing and purification, the well was traditionally visited for cures related to skin ailments and fevers. Local folklore suggests that visitors would anoint themselves with the water and walk three times around the site while reciting prayers for relief.

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