St. Patricks Well (Site of)

Situated about 400m SSE of Coolinarrig graveyard (WI027-027003-). The well has been diverted into a field drain, now marked by an alder tree. According to the OS Name Books the pattern had ceased around 1790. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008

St. Patrick’s Well is traditionally associated with the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, and was likely a site of pilgrimage and ritual before the Reformation. The well’s pattern (annual festival) had ceased by 1790, reflecting broader changes in popular religious practice during the 18th century.