Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
- Date or period mentioned19th century
What to look for
- Pattern day
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
On the W bank of the River Nore which lies c. 90m to the E. St Fiachra's church (KK020-050001-) and graveyard (KK020-050002-) are located c. 60m to the NW. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 221), this 'is a celebrated holy well. Public devotions were carried out here, on St. Fiachra's day (Aug. 30th), till a few years ago'.
Full archaeological record 178 words
On the W bank of the River Nore which lies c. 90m to the E. St Fiachra's church (KK020-050001-) and graveyard (KK020-050002-) are located c. 60m to the NW. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 221), this 'is a celebrated holy well. Public devotions were carried out here, on St. Fiachra's day (Aug. 30th), till a few years ago'. According to O'Kelly (1969, 183), at the well 'a Calvary was erected circa 40 years ago [c. 1930]'. It is enclosed by a stone wall and is covered, with a flat lintel over the entrance. An archaeological excavation was carried out in the immediate vicinity of the well in 1983, in advance of the laying of the Cork-Dublin gas pipeline (Cotter and Lehane 1987, 153-6). A number of cobbled surfaces and a trackway were uncovered which were designed to drain and make passable the area adjacent to the holy well (ibid. 156). These were found to date from the 18th and 19th century and were constructed to facilitate visitors to the holy well, probably particularly for the pattern (ibid.)
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 9 December 2020. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
More holy wells nearby

St. Martin's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Templemartin (Gowran By., Clara Ed) · Kilkenny · 3.7 km away
St Rioch's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Jamesgreen · Kilkenny · 5.1 km away

Saint Colman's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Churchclara · Kilkenny · 5.1 km away

Kenny's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Canice Par.) · Kilkenny · 5.6 km away
Tobar Neaska
Ritual site - holy well · Grangehill · Kilkenny · 6.5 km away

Lady's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Ballyda · Kilkenny · 7.0 km away
Also recorded nearby
Named sites within 5 km with only a short entry in the Archaeological Survey.
- Maudlin CastleCastle - tower house · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. John'S Par.) · 4.7 km · official record
- Mary's WellRitual site - holy well · Gardens (Kilkenny City By., St. Mary’S Par.) · 4.9 km · official record
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Around Saint Fiachra's Well
Other heritage nearby
- Sheastown ChurchAncient church · 0.3 km
- Maddockstown Church ruinAncient church · 1.2 km
- Lavistown CastleCastle · 1.9 km
- Kilree Church (site of)Ancient church · 2.7 km
- Bennetsbridge churchAncient church · 2.9 km
- Kilmalog ChurchAncient church · 3.0 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 17 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 13 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 monastic sitesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 ogham stonesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 abbey or friaryArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Nore Valley Walk - Kilkenny to Bennetsbridge SectionLong Distance Waymarked Way · 8.2 km · nearest point 0.2 km
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 2.2 km
- O'Gormans LaneWalking Trail · 4.5 km · nearest point 2.7 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 7.8 km
- JenkinstownForests · 14 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 13 km
- Kyleadohir Nature ReserveNature reserves · 20 km
- KilkennyWalled towns · 4.9 km
- GowranWalled towns · 9.0 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 23 km
Other attractions nearby
- Hawkeye School of FalconryNature and Wildlife · 2.9 km
- Shenanigans – The Kilkenny City WalkWalking · 4.7 km
- Nowlan Park Gaelic StadiumAttraction · 4.8 km
- Kilkenny Haunted Dark ToursWalking · 4.8 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 5.3 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 4.9 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 4.9 km


