This was difficult to photograph as there was little natural light available.
The notices within the grounds and the tour guide, aimed at children, refer to the well as a wishing well but I am not convinced that it was ever a wishing well and as I have never seen any coins within the structure I suspect the most visitors are not convinced either.
St. Ann’s Well in Raheny, Dublin, Ireland was once a popular holy well, and gave its name (with a slightly different spelling) to the well-known St. Anne’s Park, the city’s second largest municipal park, home for many years to the Guinness family.
The well site has a protective hood of stones, and lies just beyond the old lake of the park, with its Roman temple, and below the Watchtower folly, near the main coastal entrance.
The well itself dried up in the 1950s, and although Dublin City Council made several attempts to relocate the source, it remains dry as of 2021. The site is still respected, and was visited in 2000 by a formal joint procession of worshippers from the Raheny parishes of the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Ireland. The site was cleaned of soil and vegetation by a specialist contractor in early 2018, the original well opening located, and a safety grille, also keeping leaves out, was fitted over the former outlet.
For some reason the Spelling is St Ann’s rather than St Anne’s.
When I visited in the past I have noticed people referring to this structure, which attracts children and dogs, as the fairy house.
St Anne’s Park was named after the existing holy well there in 1837 by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness.
The well site has a protective hood of stones, and lies just beyond the old lake of the park, with its Roman temple, and below the Watchtower folly, near the main coastal entrance.
The well itself dried up in the 1950s, and although Dublin City Council made several attempts to relocate the source, it remains dry as of 2022. The site is still respected, and was visited in 2000 by a formal joint procession of worshippers from the Raheny parishes of the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Ireland. The site was cleaned of soil and vegetation by a specialist contractor in early 2018, the original well opening located, and a safety grille, also keeping leaves out, was fitted over the former outlet.
St. Ann’s Well was reputed to provide virtues to pilgrims, and many came to drink or bathe in its waters. There is no altar associated with the Well at St. Anne‟s, nor are there records available as to any pilgrimage circles or other such features. The location of the Well is sheltered by trees, and historically it would have been easily accessible from the Clontarf Road.
I am a bit worried that this well will not not survive.
About sixty or fifty years ago my father suggested that there were at least 3,000 holy wells in Ireland and he claims to have seen most of them. I should mention that because of his job my father had visited almost every town and village in Ireland and during the summer holidays he would bring us along with him and I should mention that my youngest brother was a world class “are we there yet” expert. My brother is still the same. It should be noted that, according to my father, we had holy wells and in the US they had alien abductions and Area 51 but at the time we had no idea as to what he meant and, to be honest, we did not care as many of the places we visited were less than interesting.
St. Colmcille is said to have founded the Holy Well on the Well Road in Swords. Legend has it that he took a Giant Step from the Round Tower and landed at the spot to where the Well is.
It had many uses for the people of Swords before the steel door was closed and a gate leading to the steps were placed there many years ago. It was said that the water was holy so people took small amounts home to bless their houses. Another use was when the water pumps ran dry during the summer months the local people went to the well with their buckets and brought the water home. As with most wells the water was chrystal clear and ice cold to drink.
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THE WELL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST – DRUMCONDRA CHURCH
Today I got a bit of a surprise when I walked around the Drumcondra area of the city photographing at random. As I was walking along Ormond Avenue I noticed a signpost pointing to Drumcondra Church so I decided to follow the sign and walk along Church Avenue which led me to the Church Of St. John The Baptist or Drumcondra Church. I had been aware that there was a church known as Drumcondra Church but this was my first time to see it.
Within the grounds of the church of St John the Baptist is an ancient holy well which for generations has been a part of the historic and ecclesiastical heritage of the area.
A number of years ago the well was considered dangerous and was covered over. It has now been fully restored and decorative railings erected around it to define the well site and to ensure safety for those who visit.
Traditionally the well has been resorted to by those seeking cures for eye complaints.
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