St. Patricks Well

Near the S end of a narrow N-S valley or glen, some 290m SE of Glassely church (KD-32-037001-) and graveyard (KD-32-037004-). At the foot of a low rock outcrop, large slabs have been cemented together to form a roughly rectangular surround to a natural spring (2m E-W; 0.8m N-S; D of water 0.5m). Two mature ash trees stand to the NE and ESE and beside the latter a low thorn bush has a metal hook in it from which three mugs hang. The surrounding area has been landscaped with plants and shrubs, and a fine statue of St. Patrick stands nearby. (Fitzgerald 1912-14b, 99 - for a photo of well in the early 20th-century; Jackson 1979-80, 155-6) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 31 October 2013

St. Patrick’s Well at Glassely is traditionally associated with St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and is believed to have curative properties, particularly for ailments of the eyes and general health. The site reflects a broader Celtic Christian tradition of holy wells linked to saints and local pilgrimage practices.