St. Moluas Well

Situated on wet marshy land, 135m S of the main street running through the village of Ardagh (LI028-0103----). Medieval church ruins (LI028-103002-) and graveyard (LI028-103003-) 65m to NNE. Dedicated to St.Molua, its site is marked south of the graveyard (Bradley 1989, vol. 1, 50). The well and its pattern was described in 1906 as following: 'In times gone by the well was shaded by an aged ash tree measuring 4 feet 6 inches in girth at the base, which has now disappeared. It is still frequented by the parishioners who pay rounds there on the 3rd of August, the eve of the saint's feast. About 50 years ago the 4th of August was kept as a parish holiday in honour of St. Molua, but the custom has fallen into disuse' (Begley 1906, 106). The following folklore was recorded from Killaghteen National School about St. Molua’s Well; 'In the parish of Ardagh there is a holy well dedicated to St Molua. There is a legend told about this well that one day as St Patrick was was passing through a Ardagh he called at a house for a drink of water. The people refused him and so he cursed a well there. His curse was that the people who would drink its water would die. He got sorry for this course and he raised it that the birds that would drink its water would die' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0489, Page 084; accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921965/4914104/4942469). See attached photos taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00173 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16990 and F025.21.00174 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31140. See attached colour photographs courtesy of Amanda Clarke Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 1 October 2020

Dedicated to St. Molua, an early Irish Christian saint associated with the 6th century, the well is linked to traditions of healing and pilgrimage. Local folklore suggests the water was believed to cure eye ailments and was often visited on St. Molua’s feast day.