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 mentionedmedieval
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
In wet marshy terrain, at the base of a steep slope (H c.2m) on the W bank of a stream which runs into the River Nore c. 130m to the SSE. According to local information there are a number of springs along the base of this slope.
Full archaeological record 160 words
In wet marshy terrain, at the base of a steep slope (H c.2m) on the W bank of a stream which runs into the River Nore c. 130m to the SSE. According to local information there are a number of springs along the base of this slope. The medieval church (KK009-048001-) and graveyard (KK009-048003-) of Rathbeagh are located c. 140m to the NW. The OS Letters (1839) describe this as, 'a well between this Church [KK009-048001-] and the Nore called St. Catherine's well, at which a Patron was held till within the last ten years on the 2th day of June, and the 6th of December was kept a holy day in the Parish in honour of St. Catherine' (O'Flanagan ed. 1930, vol. 1, 88 (29-30)). While the area is very overgrown and generally marshy, the ground is particularly wet in the vicinity of where the well is indicated on the 1st and revised ed. of the OS 6-inch map.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 9 May 2018. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
More holy wells nearby
St Paul's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Connahy · Kilkenny · 3.8 km away

St. Lachtain's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Moat · Kilkenny · 3.8 km away

Hermit's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Clontubbrid · Kilkenny · 3.9 km away

Saint Brigid's Well (site of)
Ritual site - holy well · Ballyconra · Kilkenny · 4.3 km away
Monastery Well
Ritual site - holy well · Finnan · Kilkenny · 5.2 km away

Tobernapeastia
Ritual site - holy well · Tobernapeastia · Kilkenny · 5.4 km away
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Around St. Catherine's Well
Other heritage nearby
- RathbeaghRingfort · 0.1 km
- St. Catherine's Church and towerhouseCastle · 0.2 km
- Lismaine CastleCastle · 1.2 km
- Grange ChurchAncient church · 1.7 km
- Inchmore CastleCastle · 1.9 km
- Clintstown CastleCastle · 1.9 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 17 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 14 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 11 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 promontory fortArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- Jenkinstown Wood - Jenkinstown Wood LoopWalking Trail · 3.4 km · nearest point 3.9 km
- Jenkinstown Wood - Walled Garden LoopWalking Trail · 2.0 km · nearest point 4.0 km
- Freshford LoopWalking Trail · 5.7 km · nearest point 4.3 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- JenkinstownForests · 4.5 km
- CapponellanForests · 11 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 16 km
- Coolacurragh Wood Nature ReserveNature reserves · 16 km
- KilkennyWalled towns · 13 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 9.9 km
Other attractions nearby
- River NoreNature and Wildlife · 2.7 km
- Dunmore CaveMuseums and Attraction · 7.0 km
- Ballyrafton WoodNature and Wildlife · 8.6 km
- The Irish Fly Fishing and Game MuseumMuseums and Attraction · 9.0 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 13 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 13 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 13 km


