All Saints Well — Garrycastle

One of six holy wells (OF029-015006-/007-/008-/009-/010-) recorded by the Ordnance Survey in 1838, only four of these six wells were depicted on the OS 6-inch maps. Today the precise location of this holy well cannot be identified on the ground, a thorn bush growing in a hollow depression along a ridge of rock outcrop located to the N of the stream may mark the site of the filled in holy well. One of four holy wells (OF029-015004-/006-/007-/008-) depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map where they are shown located immediately to the N of a stream running E-W which at that time was located inside the boundary of the graveyard (OF029-015002-). One of the four holy wells on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map is annotated as ‘All Saints Well’. On the 1908 ed. OS 25-inch map this well is depicted as being located at E end of stream to the N of the church (OF029-015001-), today the remains of a destroyed concrete water pump house and a concrete pipe rising from the stream may mark the site of one of the holy wells. The identification of this well as 'All Saint's Well' does not appear to match up with the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map and with the description of the well in the 1838 Ordnance Survey Letters. The location of this well was recorded in 1838 by the Ordnance Survey Letters as being ‘a short distance from the Church yard “All Saints Well”, Tobar na Naomh, lying at the foot of a large tree which inclines southwards; a few yards to the north of this well is Lady’s Well (OF029-015008-) and a few yards to the east of Lady Well are the small wells called Eye Wells (OF029-015006-/007-/009-/010-); they are three in number. (There were four, but one ran dry). These small wells are called eye wells and head wells, from the circumstances of their water being applied to sore eyes and used as a remedy for head-aches. A patron was held here on SS. Peter and Paul’s day (June 29) and on the Sunday previous to the 1st of August, but it has been discontinued these three years back’ (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 4). In order to obtain a cure for your headache the custom at All Saint's Well was for people to visit the well on three successive days (Logan 1980, 78). On the 25-inch map the Lady's Well is depicted to the W of 'All Saint's Well' which contradicts the 1838 OS Letters. The well marked on the 25-inch map as 'All Saint's Well appears to be one of the 'Eye Wells' depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map. Based on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map and the description in the OS Letters, All Saint's Well was located at the W end of the stream in an area N of the pond feature depicted on the 25-inch OS map. Lady's Well (OF029-015008-) was located a few metres to the N of this well. The present graveyard boundary encloses a larger area than that depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map which shows the ‘Convent’ standing in the centre of a narrow polygonal shaped graveyard with vault to the SW. On this map there is no boundary wall between the stream and holy wells located to the N of the ‘Convent’. Some time after this date a new larger graveyard boundary wall was constructed and this is the boundary wall that is depicted on the 1908 ed. OS 25-inch map. On the 1908 ed. OS 25-inch map the ‘Vault’ to the SW of the convent building is no longer depicted and the holy wells and stream are now located outside the boundary wall of the graveyard to the N. Described in 1837 as ‘an ancient church called All Saints (OF029-015001-), near which is a holy well (Lewis 1837, 471). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 05 September 2013