St. Johns Well

Situated in a slight hollow on the S bank of a river. A stone-faced square-shaped well (dims. 1m x 1m x 0.75m D) with a stream flowing out of the N face into the nearby river. The well is contained within a large concrete wall. It is dedicated to St John whose feast day is the 24th of June and there is a statue of St John over the well. According to Sheehan (1949, 38-9) the well was visited in the nineteenth century on this feast day for its curative powers. No votive offerings visible. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008

Linked to St. John the Baptist, the well is traditionally associated with healing and purification rituals, particularly on St. John's Eve (23–24 June). Locally, it was once believed that drinking or bathing in the water could cure ailments and ensure protection during the summer solstice.