St. Johns Well

In a small clearing in a coniferous plantation on a moderately steep E-facing slope, c. 175m SE of a medieval church (KD032-005----) and graveyard (KD032-005001-). While its existence is mentioned by O’Conor (Herity 2002, 96 [30]) who co-compiled the OSL for County Kildare, nothing else is recorded about the well. A wooden post and plastic trellis fence encloses an oval well (2.4m NW-SE; 2.1m NE-SW; D 0.9m) which is retained by a mortared stone wall (T 0.6m) which doesn’t rise above ground level. A circular concrete cistern and feed pipe abuts the well at NE and a modern cross slab (H 0.6m; Wth 0.45m; T 0.05m) is erected on its NE edge. (Jackson 1979-80, 155) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 14 October 2013

St. John’s Well is traditionally associated with St. John the Baptist and is believed to have been a site of seasonal pilgrimage and healing rituals, particularly around the summer solstice. Holy wells dedicated to St. John are often linked to fertility, protection, and the curing of skin ailments, with customs including the collection of water at dawn on St. John’s Eve (23–24 June).