St. Derivlas Well

In level marshy terrain. Set into N face of field boundary, travelling on WNW-ESE axis, is circular spring (diam. c. 0.5m; D c. 0.6m); stone facing, of small roughly-cut flags, only evident at SSW side of spring. Ground immediately surrounding spring is waterlogged and heavily poached by cattle drinking from spring; a recently cut field drain runs c. 1m in front of spring on same axis as field boundary. No indication that well still used for religious purposes. According to Ó Danachair (1955, 205) rounds still mad here in mid-1950s and 'a pattern and fair was held on 11th February until about 1870'; he also notes legends that 'Saint Gobnait lived here', and that 'a white stag is sometimes seen at the well'. Compiled by: Denis Power Date of upload: 26 August 2011

St. Derivlas Well is associated with St. Derbot (or Derivlas), a 6th-century Irish saint known for her healing miracles, particularly for curing barrenness and eye ailments. The well, like many similar sites, was historically visited for ritual water collection, often on specific feast days, with offerings left to invoke the saint’s intercession.