This holy well shares the same fate with the St. Sylvester's holy well in Malahide, a modern condo, the Cooldriona Apartments, has been built too close to the well and all the magic of the place has disappeared. To add shame to the shame, on the day of our visit a not too smart car driver parked his car at a few inches from the well, on the pathway. The well was consacrated by St. Colmcille in 560 AD, and its pure and crystal water gave the town of Swords, which was founded in those days, its name ("Sord" in Irish means pure, clear). The well has a small house over it, the access to the water is closed by a padlocked gate. Above the doorway, which faces northeast (70°), there's a cross-incised stone. Nine steps lead to the water from the road level. One of the steps has an indent and it is said that St. Colmcille jumped from the round tower and landed there. To the right of the well there's a water pump to extract water from the well beneath the ground, but that worked before the well ran dry.
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