St. Michaels Well

To N of the Owenriff River on W outskirts of Oughterard. According to O'Flaherty, this well 'was discovered by revelation about the year 1654' (Hardiman 1846, 53). It consists of a natural spring, dry at the time of visit, delimited by a D-shaped drystone wall (3.2m by 2m) opening towards NNE. There is a modern alcove on NNW side but the whole structure is now dilapidated and overgrown. (O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 143a, 143g; Kelly 1897, 379; Killanin 1947, 124) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). Date of upload: 05 August 2010 The following image was uploaded: GA054-015----_01.jpg

St. Michael's Well is associated with St. Michael the Archangel and was traditionally visited for healing and protection. According to local tradition and historical accounts, the well was discovered by revelation in 1654 and was likely a site of pilgrimage and ritual use in the 17th and 18th centuries.