St. Nicholas Well

Marked on the 1839 and 1941 eds of the OS 6-inch map and described in gothic lettering as St. Nicholas’ Well on both, with the additional information ‘Site of ’ on the later map. St. Nicholas, whose feastday falls on the 6th December, was a 4th century bishop in Turkey and a renowned gift-giver, on whom much of the character of Santa Claus is based (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas) (accessed on 03/12/12) (Butler 1990, 175). John O’Donovan, writing c. 1840 lists the well, but says that there was no pattern held (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 357). It is situated on a fern-covered shelf in the ravine of a N-S stream, on the E side of the stream. The well is not visible at ground level. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 20 December, 2012

St. Nicholas Well is associated with St. Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century Christian bishop venerated as a protector of sailors and children. Traditionally, such wells were visited for healing and to seek the saint’s intercession, particularly for ailments of the eyes and safe travel.