Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
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
SW of Gowran, c. 40m N of a tributary of the River Barrow which flows c. 5km to the E, immediately W of the road leading from the town to Castle Ellis Bridge, in pasture. Not indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map but indicated and annotated 'W' on the 1900 revision.
Full archaeological record 113 words
SW of Gowran, c. 40m N of a tributary of the River Barrow which flows c. 5km to the E, immediately W of the road leading from the town to Castle Ellis Bridge, in pasture. Not indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map but indicated and annotated 'W' on the 1900 revision. According to local tradition it was known as 'St Patrick's Well' (pers. comm. Mary Moran, 7 July 1992) and this suggests it was a holy well. The well has been closed up and is no longer visible in the field. The 'Bastionfort Well' is located c. 160m to the W in the same field, though in a different townland.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 25 March 2021. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
According to local tradition it was known as 'St Patrick's Well' (pers. comm. Mary Moran, 7 July 1992) and this suggests it was a holy well.
More holy wells nearby
Bastionfort Well
Ritual site - holy well · Castle Ellis · Kilkenny · 0.2 km away
Tobar Neaska
Ritual site - holy well · Grangehill · Kilkenny · 5.2 km away
Saint Colman's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Churchclara · Kilkenny · 5.9 km away
Saint Scoheen's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Freneystown · Kilkenny · 6.8 km away
Toberboy
Ritual site - holy well · Pollagh (Gowran By.) · Kilkenny · 7.2 km away
Aughkiletaun Holy Well
Ritual site - holy well · Aughkiletaun · Kilkenny · 7.9 km away
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Around St Patrick's Well
Other heritage nearby
- Ballyshanemore CastleCastle · 0.4 km
- CIIC 32 (Ogham Stone Concept by RAS Macalister)Ogham stone · 0.5 km
- St. Mary's Church, GowranAncient church · 0.5 km
- Neigham CastleCastle · 2.6 km
- Grange Upper ChurchAncient church · 2.8 km
- Kylebeg ChurchAncient church · 3.6 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 12 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 3 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 holy wellArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 ogham stoneArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 monastic siteArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 hillfortArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- East Kilkenny Cycle RouteRoad Cycling Trail · 62.6 km · nearest point 0.9 km
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 5.3 km
- Barrow WayLong Distance Waymarked Way · 117.0 km · nearest point 6.0 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- GowranWalled towns · 0.6 km
- ThomastownWalled towns · 12 km
Other attractions nearby
- St Mary's Church GowranHistoric Houses and Castle · 0.5 km
- Tullaherin Round TowerHistoric Houses and Castle · 6.6 km
- Kilfane Glen and WaterfallGardens · 8.4 km
- Kilfane ChurchHistoric Houses and Castle · 8.6 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 13 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 12 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 12 km