Holy Well — Oran

Traditionally established by St Patrick (Stokes 1887b, 107), the well is situated in a triangular plot (max. dims 22m N-S; 18m E-W) towards the bottom of a SW-facing slope at the S end of a broad NW-SE ridge. It is on the W side of a N-S section of the N 60 Castlerea-Roscommon road and c. 80m SW of the church (RO034-080001-). This is a rectangular well (int. dims 2.1m NW-SE; 2.1m NE-SW) defined by a stone wall (T 0.6m; int. H 1.4m; ext. H 0.2m) with a stream running off to the SW through a small rectangular pool (dims 1m x 1.2m). The well is within a rectangular enclosure (int. dims 8m NE-SW; 7.65m NW-SE) defined by the foundations of a wall (T 0.65-1m; H 0.2m), and three steps lead down to the stream on each side of the stream outside the enclosure. A limestone plaque (RO034-080012-) on the inner face of the well has an inscription in false relief commemorating Fr. William Hanley who renovated the well in 1687. A limestone Latin cross (RO034-080004-) (H 0.8m; Span 0.5m; T 0.2m) on a drystone-built plinth (dims 1.3m x 1.4m; H 0.4m) has an incised inscription and the date1729, while the socket of a finial cross (RO034-080013-) is on the bank at the roadside. The well also had a connection with Lughnasa in early August (Anon 1992; Beirne 2000, 290). Another possible holy well (RO034-080009-) is c. 70m to the NW. (Mullin 1987) See the attached image taken from the SW. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010