Townland: Kilfearagh
Description of Holy Well and Landscape Setting
The well lies a few hundred metres east of the old Kilfearagh Church and graveyard. The well site is beside a bungalow, on private grazing ground. It takes the form of a jumble of stones and brambles, with a large slab covering the main outlet. The remains of a barbed wire fence lie around the well.
Saint and Feast Day Associated with Holy Well
The well dedicated to Fiachra, also known as Fiachna, a less well-known saint. Though the parish Kilfearagh is named after Saint Fiachra, no special devotion to him remains. There are houses in the immediate area of the spring but most now appear to be empty. It is believed that visitations to the well ended one or two generations ago. No pilgrimage date is remembered.
Natural Heritage around the Holy Well
The well is marked by bushes and stones in a grazing field. There is evidence of water in the area around the well, with a lot of damp ground around.
Heritage Attractions Nearby
The town of Kilkee is a short drive from the well site, and features the fine Moore’s Bay and Beach. Sea angling and diving are available in the summer time.
Additional Information
Padraig Ó Riain, ‘A Dictionary of Irish Saints’, 2011:
Fiachra or Fiachna, meaning raven, was a common name for Irish saints. There were several holy men with the name. This Fiachra is geographically close to the Kerry Fiachra/Fiachna who had a feast day of 29th April in the barony of Clanmaurice.
Discover More…
Ó Riain, P 2011 ‘ A Dictionary of Irish Saints,’, Four Courts Press Ltd, Dublin, Ireland
Record of Monuments and Places Number
RMP-CL056-074
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