St. Cowans Well

Marked on the 1839 and 1925 eds of the OS 6-inch map and described as St. Cowan’s Well in both. It is situated in a small SE-NW valley with two streams that join together c. 10m to the W and join the W-E Boro River c. 270m to the NW at that river’s most southerly point. St. Cowan, or St. Cuán of Airbhre, now probably Kilcowan (WX046-042001-) in Bargy barony, is recorded in the life of St. Munna of Taghmon (Ó Riain 2011, 239). His pattern is recorded on the 6th July in the martyrologies, but was celebrated here at one time on the 3rd of February (Sheil 1921, 15). The well is now a rectangular feature (dims. 1.1m NW-SE x 1.05m NE-SW; D 0.5m) set into the concrete apron surrounding a nearby Lourdes grotto. The well is partly set into the facing on the NW side of a road bridge over the SW stream. There is a round-headed alcove (Wth 0.19m; H 0.38m; D 0.29m) with some offerings in this wall above the well. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload; 27 August, 2012

St. Cowan’s Well is associated with a local Christian tradition, likely linked to an early medieval saint, though details of any specific cult or miracle cures connected to the well are not well documented. The well's long-standing recognition on official maps suggests a continuity of local reverence, possibly tied to seasonal rituals or healing practices.