Why this matters
Lugaree Well is associated with the ancient Irish god Lugh, whose name may be reflected in the site's name, and was traditionally linked to healing and protection. The well's location near the River Boyne, a site of significant early Irish mythology and the nearby Hill of Tara, suggests its possible use in pre-Christian rituals later Christianized or incorporated into local saint traditions.
What is recorded here
Situated on the NW bank of a SW-NE section of the River Boyne, at a point where the stream turns briefly SE (L c. 300m) before resuming a NE course. It is annotated as ‘Lugaree’ on the 1836 and 1908 editions OS. The god Lugh was one of the Tuatha Dé Danan and had many attributes, including the invention of horse-racing. The swimming of horses in the River Blackwater at Martry was an integral part of the Lughnasa celebrations of Tailtiu into the nineteenth century. The horse and its rider plunged into a deep pool of the river before sunrise as a protection against disease. Wilde (1849, 171) records the swimming of horses and cattle across the river at Lugaree or the ‘King’s Hole’ which continued until shortly before his time and this may be another Lughnasa association. (Mac Gabhann 2000, 233-4)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 30 March 2023
Mac Gabhann, S. 2000 Landmarks of the people: Meath and Cavan places prominent in Lughnasa mythology and folklore. Ríocht na Mídhe 219-39.
Wilde, W. R. W. 1849 (reprinted 1978) The Beauties of the Boyne and its tributary, the Blackwater. McGlashan, Dublin
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