St. Columbkilles Well

Situated on a fairly level landscape, and at the N edge of rath (ME021-013001-). St Columbkille’s Well is marked only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is depicted with a tree beside it, but it had been closed and a pumphouse erected over it before 1987 (French 2012, 18). In the late 1930s it was known to have had an ash tree with no leaves, and a stone wall had been built around it within living memory. The well had a cure for ague or fever, and some cures were known from drinking the water. The pattern was held on the second Sunday in August when decades of the Rosary were said while the well was circumambulated, but it had been discontinued for many years before the 1930s. (IFC: Schools’ Collection vol. 0682, 164) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 October, 2019

St. Columbkille’s Well is associated with St. Columba (Columbkille), a 6th-century Irish saint known for his missionary work in Scotland and Ireland. Holy wells dedicated to him were often believed to have healing properties, particularly for eye ailments and general protection.