Holy Wells in the Parish of Dunleer

Cumann Seanchais Ard Mhacha/Armagh Diocesan Historical Society

Holy Wells in the Parish of DunleerAuthor(s): Michael CoyleSource: Seanchas Ardmhacha: Journal of the Armagh Diocesan Historical Society, Vol. 2, No. 1(1956), pp. 192-205Published by: Cumann Seanchais Ard Mhacha/Armagh Diocesan Historical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29740634 .

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Holy Wells in the Parish

of Dunleer By

Michael Coyle

At Christmas 1954 a questionnaire was issued to members of the society seeking information on places associated with religious worship throughout the archdiocese.

Holy Wells were among the religious sites about which information was sought and the present contribution contains a survey of those located in the parish of

Dunleer, made by a local resident. In order that the contributor's division of the

subject may be clear to readers we think it advisable to list here the headings under which information was sought in the questionnaire :

(a) Exact location of the Holy Well.

(b) Patron Saint, if any, associated with the Well.

(c) Pilgrimages to the Well.

(d) Rites traditionally observed on the occasion of a visit to the Well.

(e) Any traditions or knowledge of a church or monastery in the vicinity of the Well.

We recommend the present article to our readers as an example of the type of methodical study of their local region which members of the society might under? take. It is hoped to publish further material unearthed by the questionnaire in future issues of Seanchas Ardmhacha.

?Ed.

I.?ST. BRIGID'S WELL, DUNLEER

(a) Situated in the Townland of Battsland, and in the Town and Parish of Dunleer the Well was

" lost

" for over 100 years and was found in

December, 1953 between the river and the railway by Mr. Joseph Sharkey, N.T., Dunleer and six of his schoolboys.

It is located on the east bank of the White River at a distance of less than six perches from the Main Street. The river bank is 18 feet wide here and the Well is 3 feet west of the hedge of Morgan's orchard, 15 feet from the edge of the river and 13 feet south of a

point on the bank which is due east of the southern leg of the old lane which rests on the river. This old lane is opposite the gates of the Parochial House, and leads from the Main Street, via the river, to the orchard.

The Well is not marked on the map of the original Survey of 1835 or on the maps of the revisions, and it is not shown on any other available old map. There is no mention of it in any of the name

books, and the Ordnance Survey Office has no information about it

11 wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Joseph Sharkey, N.T., Dunleer and Mr. Eddie Finnegan, Dromin who helped me to collect information and to survey the sites of the Holy Wells ; also to Miss S. Ni Fhaol?in, Louth County Librarian,

Dundalk who placed books at my disposal and to Commandant P. G. Madden, Ordnance Survey Office, Dublin, who helped me with old maps and name-books.



Holy Wells of Dunleer 193

from the first Survey or from later revisions. It is referred to in The Louth Survey Letters page 113, and Major

General Stubbs lists "

St. Brigid's Well, Dunleer, T.L. &P., O.L." in his

" Holy Wells in County Louth

" on page 40 of the Louth

Archaeological Journal, 1908/1911, Vol. II. It is also mentioned on

page 291 of Armagh Clergy and Parishes by the Rev. J. B. Leslie. The exact location of the Well is shown on the attached sketch

which is based on the current O.S. map.

(b) St. Brigid is the Patron saint venerated.

(c) There is now no person who has any knowledge of a pilgrimage to the Well or the date on which it was traditionally visited, but a

pilgrimage probably took place on St. Brigid's Festival the 1st of

February. Leslie, in Armagh Clergy and Parishes page 291, states "

S.

Brigid, whose day is Feb. 1, is also associated with the parish and with a well formerly in use." The Louth Survey Letters on page 115 also mention that St. Brigid's Festival was celebrated in the

Parish on the 1st Feb.

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194 Seanchas Ardmhacha

(d) The Rites traditionally observed on the occasion of a visit to the Well are not now known.

(e) There is a local tradition that there was once a monastery about the

spot where the Church of Ireland now stands which is near the Well. The Louth Survey Letters on page 115 mention a tradition of a "

Convent dedicated to St. Bridget near Bridget's Well," and on

page 292 of Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes it states in reference to the Abbey of Lann Leire :

" There is little doubt (says Reeves),

that the present churchyard represents the original cemetery of this ancient abbey and that the present parish church occupies the ancient site."

IL?ST. COMHGHALL'S WELL, DUNLEER

(a) This Well is 310 yards north north-west of the junction of Dundalk Road and Ardee Street, Dunleer in a field the property of Miss T.

Duffy. It is in the Townland of Ravel and Parish of Dunleer, and is located 72 feet west of the White River and 30 feet south of a small stream which enters the river at this spot.

It is not marked on the original Survey map of 1835 or on the current maps, but appears with name

" Tobercoole

" on the sheet of

the revision of 1865. In the name book for this period there is the

following note in reference to Tobercoole :? "

This name is given to a well which is now partly filled up. It is probable that it was

previously what was called a ' Holy Well

' but it must have been

many years since as there is now no person who remembers it as

such. There are two large ash trees growing beside it." It is mentioned in the Louth Survey Letters on page 115, and

Stubbs's list of Holy Wells on page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal 1908/1911, Vol. II gives

" Tober Coole, Ravel T.L., Dunleer

of St. Comhghaill or of the corner." There is no reference to it in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes.

The Well is now completely filled in and has been closed for such a

length of time that none of the local people knew where it was. There is no trace of the ash trees to be seen now.

Attached is a map of Dunleer based on the O.S. Map of the revision of 1865 on which Tobercoole is shown.

(b) St. Comhghall is the Patron Saint.

(c) There is now no pilgrimage to the spot, and the date on which the Well was traditionally visited is not known. The Louth Survey Letters state on page 115 that in the Parish the Festival of St.

Comhghall is celebrated "

sometime in the latter end of June." And again, on the same page,

" There is a well immediately to the

west of the town called Tobar Chomhghaill (pron. as above) ComhalTs Well (Coo-aTs) at which there was formerly a Station."

John Holcroft of Dunleer said that he often heard his grandmother,




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Ann McKeown who died about the year 1913 aged 96, talk about

processions to St. "

Coole's "

Well. He did not know the exact date of these processions, but said it was about the end of June. She said that great crowds were present and the Rosary was recited at the Well. She also told him that there was often drinking of

poteen and stick fights between the different factions on that day. John did not know the location of the Well, but said it was somewhere around Dunleer.


(e) There is no tradition of the existence of a church or monastery near the spot, and there are no old ruins in the vicinity of the Well. The Louth Survey Letters, referring to the then Parish of Dunleer, state on page 115

" No ruins of a Church are in this Parish or remem?

bered to have been in it."




III.?ST. FINNIAN'S WELL, DROMIN

(a) This Well is located 230 yards north west of Dromin Church in an

orchard, the property of Mr. Nicholas McCabe. It is in the Town land of Dromin and Parish of Dunleer. It is not marked on the

original Survey map of 1835, but is shown on the sheet of the revision of 1865 as

" St. Finden's," and on that of the 1908 revision as

" St.

Fintan's." Eddie Finnegan of Dromin says that the proper name is St. Finnian's, and that he always heard it so called by the old people.

The Rev. J. B. Leslie, in Armagh Clergy and Parishes says on page 253 :

" The Patron Saint of the Parish is St. Finian, also sometimes

called St. Fintan." There are two wells here close together, but the one on the north

was pointed out by Nicholas McCabe as St. Finnian's. He said he heard the old people say that long ago a number of miraculous cures were obtained from the water in St. Finnian's Well. On this account, the people did not wish to use the water of the Holy Well for domestic purposes, so they opened another well beside it for ordinary use.

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Holy Wells Of Dunleer 197

Stubbs, in his list of Holy Wells in County Louth on page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal 1908/1911, Vol. II mentions,

" St.

Fintan Dromin T.L. & P. of which he is Patron. The well is covered over and preserved in its original condition." The Well is also referred to in The Louth Survey Letters which state on page 193, "

There is a well about thirty perches to the north of the old Church, called in Irish Tobar Fionndain."

(b) St. Finnian is the Patron Saint venerated.

(c) St. Finnian's Festival is on the 8th October, but there is now no

pilgrimage to the Well which is still open and in good condition. Eddie Finnegan says he often heard the old people talk about the Stations which were formerly held at St. Finnian's Well on this day. Large numbers were present, and there were tents and stalls all

along the road. The Patron of Dromin is still held on the 8th October and Mass is celebrated in Dromin Church for the dead.

Large numbers of the relatives of those buried in the graveyard are

present at this Mass. On the second Sunday in October (usually referred to as Patron Sunday), large crowds are present in Dromin at the Mass for the dead, and in the evening there is the Rosary and

Benediction, followed by the Blessing of the graves. In prepara? tion for this day the graveyard is cleaned up and the graves are decorated with flowers. Sometimes the second Sunday in October falls on the 8th.

(d) The Rites traditionally observed on the occasion of a visit to the Well are now not known and Eddie Finnegan was unable to throw

any light on this. Willie Hansard says it was the custom, when

visiting the Well, to drink some of the water from it, as there was an old tradition that anyone who drank the water from St. Finnian's

Well would return again to Dromin.

(e) Nothing now remains of St. Finnian's Monastery, in which it is said St. Columcille copied St. Finnian's Book, but the hill of Kil ledrim is pointed out by Eddie Finnegan as the traditional site of this Monastery. Leslie, on page 253 of Armagh Clergy and Parishes

says : "

The monastery here was burnt by the Danes in 834." John Hughes of the Green Lanes, who now owns Killedrim, said he often heard the old people say that at one time there was a Monastery on the hill about the spot marked I on the attached map. Willie

Hansard said that he heard the location of the Monastery was about the spot marked 2. He also heard that, when the present divisions

were being made on the hill, human bones were dug up. He says the old people always maintained there was a cemetery on the hill.

Eddie Finnegan said that about 50 years ago a man called John Taaffe, who was then aged about 60, told him that he remembered the hill of Killedrim being divided. He said there must have been some kind of old burial ground at the junction of the fences (encircled on attached map), as he saw large numbers of human bones which




were dug up by the workmen at this spot. John Taaffe, of Dromin said that about 30 years ago, when he

was ploughing, he came across some kind of paving about the spot marked 3. Previous to this, a workman of his named Andy Flan

nagan, when ploughing the same field about the spot marked 4, uncovered a large slab with what appeared to be ancient writing on it. Andy told me that he remembered ploughing up the slab, but could not tell me anything about it, except that there were a lot of strokes on it and it was like a large tombstone. This slab was not taken up, but was buried again by the plough. Eddie Finnegan says that at one time there were houses in this field about spot 3.

Miss Jane Stokes called the hill Kill-may-drim, and Mrs. B. Sands called it Lisedrim.

The ruins of an old Church may be seen in Dromin graveyard. These are described in the Louth Survey Letters on page 192, and in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes on page 253.

St. Finnian's Well and Killedrim are both shown on the attached map which is based on the current O.S. map.

IV.?TOBAR MUIR?, CAPPOGE

(a) Located about 1? statute miles north of Dunleer in a field, the

property of Mr. L. Dorrian, at Castle Moyle in the Townland of

Cappoge and Parish of Dunleer. It is 245 yards north-east of the

junction of the main road to Dundalk and the lane to Castle Moyle, 67 feet north of the northern boundary of this lane and 42 feet west of the third boundary from the main road.

It is not shown on the original Survey map of 1835 or on the maps of any of the revisions, and it is not marked on any available old map.

It is referred to in Stubbs's list of Holy Wells in County Louth on

page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal, 1908/1911, Vol. II as "

St Mary The Blessed Virgin, Cappog T.L. and P. referred to in O.L. as Cille Muir?. Not marked on map." And the Louth Survey Letters state on page 117 :

" In this Townland is also a well

dedicated to the Virgin Mary which is called Tobar Muir?." There is also the following reference to it in the name book of the 1835 Survey :?

" . . . a well dedicated to the Virgin Mary in

Cappog T.L. called The Castle Well. (Crossed out in name book). It is not mentioned in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes.

The Revd. Dermot Maclvor, C.C., had the Well cleaned out and

put in order a number of years ago. It is still open, but is again badly in need of a cleaning and requires some kind of protecting parapet around it. There are a couple of large flat stones laid across the Well to prevent cattle from stepping into it. Thomas

McKenna of Cappoge pointed it out, and its exact location is shown on the attached map.




(b) It is dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary.

(c) There was formerly a Station held at the Well on August the 15th and the Matthews family of Cappoge House say that they often heard their mother tell of the huge crowds that were present on this day.

Although there is now no Station, members of the Matthews family and a number of the local people still gather at the Well on August the 15th and say the Rosary.

(d) The Rites traditionally observed on the occasion of a visit are not now known but, according to the local people, the Rosary was recited at the Well on the day of the Patron. It was the custom,

when on a visit, to leave something belonging to oneself behind. Some people threw coins and various other small objects into the

Well, while others tied a scrap of cloth to a nearby bush.

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The ruins of an old Church may still be seen in Cappoge Townland, about 850 yards south west of the Well. The Louth Survey Letters on page 117 state :

" In Cappoge Townland are the ruins of an old

Church called Tea' pull Muire which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary whose festival, 15th August, is the Patron day of the Parish."

(Referring to the then Parish of Cappoge). Then follows a descrip? tion of the ruins. There is the following reference to them in the name book of the 1835 Survey :?

" . . . ruins of an old Church called

Teapall Muire," and they are also mentioned in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes on page 157.

V.?TRINITY WELL, PAUGHANSTOWN

Situated about 4J statute miles west of Dunleer in a field called

Trinity Green, the property of Mr. Francis Cavanagh, in the Town land of Paughanstown and Parish of Dunleer. It is marked, with name, on the map of the original Survey of 1835 and is included in all the revisions. There is a reference to Trinity Well in The

Louth Survey Letters on page 176, and Stubbs's list of Holy Wells in

County Louth on page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal 1908 1911 Vol. II gives

" Trinity Well, Paughanstown T.L., Kildemock P."

The Rev. Dermot Maclvor in his "

Townland Survey of County Louth

" on page 118 of the Louth Archaeological Journal, Vol. XII,

No. 2, 1950, mentions Trinity Well and some of the traditions in connection with it. It is not referred to in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes. The Well is still in good condition, and is now in use for domestic purposes.

It is not known to whom the Well is dedicated, but it is probably to The Blessed Trinity. The local people all mention St. Patrick in connection with the Well, but they don't know what St. Patrick's connection wdth the place was. They say there was at one time a stone at the Well which was supposed to have the track of St. Patrick's foot in it, and they also talk about a stone with nails driven into it, but don't know how the nails were put there or why. These nails were supposed to be in the shape of a foot. This stone is now missing, but Patrick Doggett says he always heard that it

was used in the building of the pier of the gate which gives admittance to Trinity Green from the road. This is also referred to by Fr.

Mac Ivor in L. A. J. XII, 2 (1950), page 118.

There was formerly a Station held at the Well on Trinity Sunday. According to the stories handed down by the old people, great crowds were present on these occasions, with stalls and refreshment tents lined along the road. Also some kind of sports took place, particularly wrestling matches. These wrestling matches invariably ended in a free for all, and the different factions then fought it out

with sticks. The people say that on one occasion a priest arrived




from Dunleer on horseback and, riding through the crowd, he laid about him with a horse whip and scattered the gathering. Accord?

ing to Jack Bowhan the name of this priest was Fr. Edward Dooley. Fr. Dooley was Curate in Ardee 1841/1862, and Parish Priest of Dunleer 1864/1873.


(e) There is no tradition of the existence of a Church or Monastery near the spot.

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VI.?ST. MAIREAD'S WELL, TOBERDONEY

(a) Located about 4 statute miles north west of Dunleer, in the Townland of Toberdoney and Parish of Dunleer, in a field called The Srath, the property of Mr. Francis Henry of Toberdoney House. This field is at the junction of the lanes 110 yards north east of the corner of Toberdoney House, and lies east of the lane which leads to the Richardstown Road.

The Well is 58 feet east of the western boundary of the field, and 56 feet north of the southern boundary. It is shown, but not named, on the original Survey Map of 1835, and on those of the revisions of 1908 and 1938, but does not appear on the sheet of the revision of 1865.

It is not included in Stubbs's list of Holy Wells in County Louth on page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal, 1908/1911 Vol. II, and




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it is not mentioned in The Louth Survey Letters or in Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes. There is the following reference to it in the name book of the 1835 Survey

" The Lord's Well or Sunday Well?

This is a place frequented for ablutions or Stations by the Vulgar." The Well, which is still open and in good condition, was pointed

out by Eddie Finnegan. There is a small ash tree growing immed?

iately behind it. In front of the Well there is a large flat stone which forms a step.

On the right inner edge of this stone there is the following inscrip? tion which is shown here as near as possible to the original :?

sh a c

7 co

% TH ^

There is also the letter "

M "

on the upper flat surface of the stone

and towards the top left hand corner. Paddy Phillips said that this

stone at one time formed part of the roof of the Well, which at present has an arched roof of stones. Beneath this stone, and partly sunken, is another large flat slab which probably was the original step of the

Well. Eddie Finnegan believes there is an inscription on the under?

side of this second stone, as he always heard there was a stone at

the Well with ancient writing on it which was turned downward.

James O'Neill said that he heard there was a stone at the Well with

Ogham writing on it.

According to Paddy Cunningham of Mooremount the Well is ded?

icated to St. Mairead. He said his father told him so. He often

heard his father talk about it, and he always called it St. Mairead's.

He is absolutely certain of this.

Both Paddy Cunningham and his brother John said that their

father's mother was present at Stations at the Well, that large crowds assembled on the day of the Patron, and that numbers of

stalls and tents were erected along the road. They also said that some kind of sports meeting was held on this day, and wrestling

matches took place. They could not remember the date of the

Patron, but said it was sometime in the summer.



204 Seanchsa Ardmhacha

James O'Neill, when a boy, saw some people arrive on a sidecar

and collect water from the Well. He did not know the date, but said he thought it was on a Holyday about the time of the haymaking.

He also remembers seeing scraps of cloth tied to a bush at the Well. Francis Henry, when a boy, saw Priests, Nuns and Christian Brothers as well as some lay people, gather at the Well and say prayers. He did not know the date, but said it was in the summer. He said he often found small coins lying around the Well.

[Note : St. Mairead's Festival is June 10th]

(d) The Rites traditionally observed on the occasion of a visit to the Well are not now known, but Paddy and John Cunningham both

state that their father told them he had it from his mother that the

Rosary was always said at the Well on the day of the Patron.

e) Eddie Finnegan pointed out the remains of an old ruin in the northern left hand corner of the Srath field, and said that he always heard there was, at one time, an old Church or Monastery in this place. Francis Henry said he heard that these were the ruins of an old Castle. He mentioned that the large field south of the Srath, now known as the bush field, was, in his young days, called The Church Field. There are no ruins in this field.

Attached is a map based on the current O.S. map showing St. Mairead's Well, and also the location of the Church Field and the old ruins in the Srath.

VIL?TOBAR MUIR?, HAMMONDSTOWN

(a) Located in a field called Tobar Muir?, the property of Mr. Nicholas

McGrane, which is about 1? statute miles south-west of Dunleer, and in the Townland of Hammondstown and Parish of Dunleer.

The Well, which is built into the hedge running east west dividing this field, is 124 feet north of the river which forms the southern

boundary of the field, 221 feet west of the gate on the south-east corner and 196 feet east of the right angled corner at the western

extremity of the hedge. It is marked, but not named, on the map of the revision of 1865,

but is not shown on the map of the original Survey of 1835 or on the current O.S. sheet. There is no reference to it in the name books for these periods.

It is not included in Stubb's list of Holy Wells in County Louth on page 40 of the Louth Archaeological Journal, 1908/1911 Vol. II, and it is not mentioned in The Louth Survey Letters or in Leslie's

Armagh Clergy and Parishes. The Well is now almost buried, but some of the stones which form

the roof can be clearly seen and probing revealed that there is about 2 feet of water present. It was pointed out by Katie Murphy of

Hammondstown, but she does not know of any tradition in connection




with it. The exact location is shown on the attached map which is based on the O.S. map of the 1865 revision.

(b) The Patron Saint is not known, but according to the name, it was dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary.

(c) There is now no person who has heard of a pilgrimage to the Well, or any tradition in connection with it.


(e) There is no tradition of the existence of a Church or Monastery near the spot.

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Documents

Holy Wells in the Parish of Dunleer