There are many legends about this well, but the most popular is that St. Patrick stopped here on his way to Roscam and miraculously caused the water to spring up.
The water at this place springs from two wells, one is enclosed, the other is an open pond, but both are horse-shoe shaped.
The enclosed well was used in medieval times as a source of fresh water by the people of the village. The water is very cold even in the hottest day in summer, and the water level never changes. During the WWII Young's Mineral Water Company in Galway sourced their spring water from this well.
The other well was used by farmers to fill their water barrels. In days of drought they queued from dawn till dusk and gathered here from all the surrounding areas.
To prevent the animals from drinking from this well a fence was erected. The practice of drawing water from this well ceased in the 1960's.
The two wells are on the side of the link road between the R338 and the N18, north of Oranmore. A bus stop is right by the two wells.
|