St. Edans Well

Marked on the 1839 and 1925 eds of the OS 6-inch map and described as St. Edan’s Well on both in gothic lettering, but it is more correctly known as St. Aidan’s Well, after St. Aidan of Ferns (Murphy c. 1994, 13, 196-201). It is situated in a small NW-SE valley at the headwaters of a NW-SE stream. According to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 the pattern was not celebrated and even the date was forgotten (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 354). The well is not recognised with certainty but a large granite stone (dims 0.96m x 0.88m; T 0.2-0.3m) is blocking a well on the N side of the stream. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 19 February, 2013

St. Aidan’s Well is associated with St. Aidan of Ferns, an 8th-century Irish saint known for founding monastic settlements in County Wexford. The well was historically visited for its supposed healing properties, particularly for eye ailments, and was a site of pilgrimage and local Christian tradition.