Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
- Condition (as surveyed)Gone: no visible trace
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
Lady's Well is one of six holy wells (OF029-015006-/007-/008-/009-/010-) recorded by the Ordnance Survey in 1838, only four of these six wells were depicted on the OS 6-inch maps. Today the precise location of this holy well cannot be identified on the ground, a slight hollow depression along a ridge of rock outcrop located to the NE of the stream may mark the site of the filled in holy well.
Full archaeological record 306 words
Lady's Well is one of six holy wells (OF029-015006-/007-/008-/009-/010-) recorded by the Ordnance Survey in 1838, only four of these six wells were depicted on the OS 6-inch maps. Today the precise location of this holy well cannot be identified on the ground, a slight hollow depression along a ridge of rock outcrop located to the NE of the stream may mark the site of the filled in holy well. One of four holy wells (OF029-015004-/006-/007-/008-) depicted on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map where they are shown located immediately to the N of a stream running E-W which at that time was located inside the boundary of the graveyard (OF029-015002-). One of the four holy wells on the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map is annotated as ‘Lady's Well’. The location of this well was recorded in 1838 by the Ordnance Survey Letters as being ‘a short distance from the Church yard “All Saints Well”, Tobar na Naomh (OF029-015004-), lying at the foot of a large tree which inclines southwards; a few yards to the north of this well is Lady’s Well and a few yards to the east of Lady Well are the small wells called Eye Wells (OF029-015006-/007-/009-/010-); they are three in number. (There were four, but one ran dry). These small wells are called eye wells and head wells, from the circumstances of their water being applied to sore eyes and used as a remedy for head-aches. A patron was held here on SS. Peter and Paul’s day (June 29) and on the Sunday previous to the 1st of August, but it has been discontinued these three years back’ (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 4). In order to obtain a cure for your headache the custom at All Saint's Well was for people to visit the well on three successive days (Logan 1980, 78).
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Caimin O'Brien · Updated 05 September 2013 · Based on the Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
In order to obtain a cure for your headache the custom at All Saint's Well was for people to visit the well on three successive days (Logan 1980, 78).
More holy wells nearby
Saint Saran's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Moystown Demesne · Offaly · 9.1 km away
Bridget's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Clonlyon Glebe · Offaly · 15 km away
St Kieran's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Clonmore (Ballybrit By.) · Offaly · 15 km away
Tobermurry
Ritual site - holy well · Ballymore Lower · Galway · 17 km away
Saint Kieran's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Clonmacnoise · Offaly · 18 km away
St Bridget's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Timsallagh Or Spring Grove · Galway · 20 km away
Visitors' notes
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Around Lady's Well
Other heritage nearby
- Banagher High CrossHigh cross · 4.0 km
- Cloghan CastleCastle · 5.4 km
- Birr Castle Demesne & Historic Science CentreCastle · 7.4 km
- St Francis' Church, MeelickAbbey or friary · 8.5 km
- Tisaran ChurchAncient church · 8.6 km
- Clonony CastleCastle · 9.2 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 5 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 3 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 3 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Birr Cycle Hub Loop 5Road Cycling Trail · 41.9 km · nearest point 0.9 km
- Birr Cycle Hub Loop 3Road Cycling Trail · 73.2 km · nearest point 1.4 km
- Birr Cycle Hub Loop 3 BRoad Cycling Trail · 44.3 km · nearest point 7.4 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Bathing Place at PortumnaBeaches · 19 km · Excellent Quality (2025)
- Redwood Bog Nature ReserveNature reserves · 7.8 km
- Mongan Bog Nature ReserveNature reserves · 19 km
Other attractions nearby
- Mid Ireland Adventure & Slieve Bloom Mountain Bike CentreWalking · 4.5 km
- Silver Line CruisersNature and Wildlife · 4.6 km
- The River Queen Boat TripAttraction · 4.6 km
- Carrickcraft - OffalyNature and Wildlife · 4.6 km

