Holy well in Lislaughtin

This well is not marked on any editions of the OS maps, but was known locally as 'St Laichtin's Well'. Situation and Description: According to the Folklore Commission of Ireland (1938-39), this was a small dry-walled well, 2ft in diameter. No trace of this well can be seen today. Rounds/Legends/Offerings: A savage bull which prevented people from going to the well was tamed by St Laichtín. Ó Danachair (1958, 160) recorded the following details about this well; '"St Laichtin's Well" - local name. Not on maps. A small well now used for domestic supply and cattle, but still known as a former holy well. Legend: A savage bull which prevented people from going to the well was tamed by the saint'. In 1938 the following folklore about St Laictín and his well collected from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition; 'Long ago there was a monastery in Lisloughtin and there were many monks there. The chief monk was Saint "Laictín". These monks were called Franciscans because they were called after Saint Francis. The Abbey is now an old ruin covered over with ivy and there are people buried there. Saint "Laichtín" was a very pious man and he was so holy that God granted him a special gift which was in his small finger. He cured several people with his finger and the people came from all parts of Ireland to him to be cured. When the saint died his finger was preserved and it never decayed. After several years the finger was lost and it was never found after. There is a well in the land of Mrs. Sullivan called Saint "Laichtín" well. There was a bull in the field of the well and he killed many people. One day as the Saint and his followers were passing the field the bull came up to him and went down on his knees before him and he never killed anyone after. His feast day falls on the 17th March but it is not honoured now and it is said he lived in the 6th century. There is a holy well called after him in Asdee also. There is a townland called after him named Lisloughtin' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Pages 118-9; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666583/4663969/4667748?ChapterID=4666583). A second story collected from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition; 'There is a Well called after him and it is known as "Laichtín's Well". It is in the land of Mrs. Sullivan in the townland of Lislaughtin. It is said that he visited the Well on the 13th May 758 with other followers. There are no rounds paid at the Well because it is not certain whether he visited it or not. The day that he visited the Well there was a bull in the field and he had alot of people killed. The bull walked up to the Saint and knelt down before him and would not touch the Saint and his followers. There was supposed to be a miraculous cure in one of Saint Laichtín's fingers, and all the sick used to come to him to be cured. When St. Laichtín died they kept the finger in the Abbey but it was lost around the 14th century' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Pages 126-7; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666583/4663977). The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 884. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O’Brien Date of revised upload: 17 May 2022