St. Fechins Well

In a flat expanse of wet boggy ground bordering the NE side of the Owenbeg River. A shallow circular stone-lined pool (diam. 1m; D 0.4m), the base of which is stone flagged. The top of the stone lining forms a low ledge (Wth 0.4m) at a height of c. 0.3m above the water, on which the visitor can stand, and is in turn enclosed by a mortared roughly coursed stone wall (Wth 0.3-0.4m; H 1m) with vertical stone coping. The wall (relatively modern in appearance) incorporates a stile-like arrangement of stones allowing easy access to the well and encloses an area of 2m in diameter. The water appears oily and murky and is covered with algae. The well is dedicated to St Fechin. There is a church (SL026-016----) c. 350m to NE. There are four other wells associated with St Fechin in the vicinity (SL026-010----; SL026-086----; SL026-151----; SL033-062----). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

St. Fechín's Well is associated with St. Fechín of Fore, a 7th-century Irish monk and saint known for his ascetic practices and founding of monastic sites. The well was traditionally visited for its healing properties, particularly for ailments of the eyes and skin, and was likely a site of pilgrimage and seasonal rituals.