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Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
What to look for
- Offerings left
- Steps down
- Cross or cross-slab
- 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
Some 35m to the SW of the church (GA103-118001-) at Drumacoo. Dedicated to St Sorney, this holy well consists of a roughly circular stone-lined sunken spring well (diam. 1.7m), surrounded by a circular stone wall (diam. c. 4m).
Full archaeological record 101 words
Some 35m to the SW of the church (GA103-118001-) at Drumacoo. Dedicated to St Sorney, this holy well consists of a roughly circular stone-lined sunken spring well (diam. 1.7m), surrounded by a circular stone wall (diam. c. 4m). Access is via seven steps at N. Modern votive offerings are visible and there is a local tradition of a pattern, performed on two consecutive Mondays and the intervening Thursday, at which cures for injuries, bleeding and minor disabilities are sought. Higgins (1987, vol. II, 271, No. 3) recorded a cross-inscribed water-rolled limestone pebble here. (Killanin and Duignan 1967, 317-18; Harbison 1979, 90)
References
- Edited by: Olive Alcock
- Date of revised upload: 14 June 2023
- This monument was taken into Guardianship under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 254.
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Galway Archaeological Survey. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
Folklore and traditions
Access is via seven steps at N. Modern votive offerings are visible and there is a local tradition of a pattern, performed on two consecutive Mondays and the intervening Thursday, at which cures for injuries, bleeding and minor disabilities are sought.
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Ritual site - holy well · Kilcorkey · Galway · 13 km away
St Peter's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Cuilmore (Loughrea By.) · Galway · 15 km away
Our Lady's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Baunmore (Athenry By.) · Galway · 16 km away
Toberinneenboy
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Around St Sorney's Well
Other heritage nearby
- Drumacoo Early Medieval Ecclesiastical SiteAncient church · 0.0 km
- Kiltiernan ChurchAncient church · 4.3 km
- Doorus Demesne wedge tombMegalithic tomb · 6.8 km
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Recorded within 5 km
- 92 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 14 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 9 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 monastic sitesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 4 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 standing stonesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 megalithic tombArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
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Outdoors, towns and places to stay
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