St. Comans Vat

In a low-lying position, c. 600m NW of the site of St Coman's church site (RO039-043006-). An overgrown hollow (diam. c. 4m; D 0.5m) which is now dry was, according to J. O'Donovan in the 1830s, venerated in the 19th century when a rag bush stood beside it (O' Flanagan 1931, vol. 1, 46). The crucifixion plaque now in Chapel Lane (RO039-043005-) originally may have come from here (Siggins 1998c). Excavation (04E1413) revealed the triangular shape of the natural spring (dims 4.45m x 3.65m), recovering modern artefacts in its upper layers. A rectangular pit (RO039-047001-) (dims 1.5m x 0.8m; D 0.35m) lay just to the N, and another rectangular pit (RO039-047002-) (dims 2.35m x 2.1m; D 0.3m) was just to the SE, but no artefacts were recovered from either pit, or the well. (Lohan 2007) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010

Linked to St. Coman, an early Irish saint associated with monastic foundations in County Roscommon, the well was historically venerated for its supposed healing properties. Local tradition held that the site was used for ritual cleansing or pilgrimage, though it is now dry and overgrown.