What is recorded here

St. Columcilles Well in County Galway holds two smooth rock basins below a graveyard, one triangular and one a deep pothole marked by coins lost in a dark cleft. People have long believed the clear water could touch what ordinary medicine cannot, turning a quiet hillside into a place for desperate hope. The stones still keep that promise, waiting for hands bold enough to test the depth of the legend.

Below HWM to S of a graveyard (GA091-001002-). Two holy wells, both dedicated to St Columcille; (a) c. 170m SW of the graveyard is a large smooth basin-like rock pool, triangular in shape, in the outer flank of a rock outcrop; (b) close to LWM and c. 270m S of the graveyard is a large smooth pothole (D 1m) with some coins stuck in a cleft deep down in it (info. T. Robinson). Not visited. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

Linked to St. Columba (Columcille), a 6th-century Irish saint and founder of Iona, the well is associated with healing traditions and pilgrimage. The rock pool's basin-like form suggests ritual water use, and such sites were often believed to offer cures for ailments through immersion or drinking.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.