Holy Well

MY SEARCH FOR HOLY WELLS IN KILKENNY HAS NOT GONE WELL

January 16, 2024 by infomatique

THIS IS LACKEN WELL AND IT IS AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED YEARS OLD

The white-washing of wells like this with lime was common as it was intended to make the well clean, as well as to improve its appearance.

This structure is on a passageway leading to the Lacken Walk along the River Nore in Kilkenny and I was very disappointed after finding it as I had believed this to be a holy well and it is not. There are supposed to be five or six holy wells in the area and I have failed to photograph any of them.

The inscription over the doorway reads “Lacken Well, Altered and Improved, July 1831.” Fifty years ago this well held beautiful water clear fresh cool water but this ancient well is very much altered and contains lots of rubbish and litter rather than water. It 2023 it was even in worse condition and the gate was no longer locked.

Leaca, leacain or leacan in Irish means the side of a hill.

A NOT SO HOLY WELL IN KILKENNY IN AUGUST 2018

January 11, 2024 by infomatique

ALL THAT I KNOW IS THAT IT IS NOT CROW’S WELL

The Nore River valley plays a pivotal role in the life of Kilkenny City, Bennettsbridge and much of the surrounding county.

This well is located on the Canal Walk on the bank of the River Nore and describing it is a bit complicated. In August 2018 a local told me that this was a holy well dedicated to St Bridget (that could apply to most of the wells in Ireland) but on the following day another person told me that it was nothing more than a natural spring or well and to be honest I was more inclined to believe the second person.

I visited the area again in July 2021 and September 2022. In 2018 a dog-walker told me that it is known as “Crow’s Well” but at the time I believed that she may have been incorrect as my understanding is that Crow’s Well Lock is at Fennessey’s Mill. However, I was unable to locate a well at Fennessy’s Mill [Archersgrove Mill] when I visited in September 2022. However, I recently discovered that Crow’s well was identified as Spa Well on some old maps and that the well, at Fennessey’s Mill, is so overgrown with briars and bushes that it is almost impossible to locate it. However, information provided by the dog-walker was much more useful than that provided by others.

According to the the local council Crow’s Well Canal Lock is at Archersgrove

I HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT THIS IS NOT CROW’S WELL

September 18, 2022 by infomatique

CANAL WALK IN KILKENNY JULY 2021 AND SEPTEMBER 2022

This series of images is from my July 2021 and September 2022 visits to Kilkenny.

This well is located on the Canal Walk on the bank of the River Nore. In 2018 a dog-walker told me that it is known as “Crow’s Well” but at the time I believed that she may have been incorrect as my understanding is that Crow’s Well Lock is at Fennessey’s Mill. However, I was unable to locate a well at Fennessy’s Mill [Archersgrove Mill] when I visited in September 2022. However, I recently discovered that Crow’s well was identified as Spa Well on some old maps and that the well, at Fennessey’s Mill, is so overgrown with briars and bushes that it is almost impossible to locate it.

The Kilkenny Canal is a short stretch of unfinished canal which was originally intended to make the River Nore navigable as far as Kilkenny City. Funding for the canal was provided by the Parliament of Ireland in 1755, to the value of £10,000. Work was abandoned in 1761, and no barges ever completed the journey from the navigable section of the Nore to Kilkenny.

The Canal Walk (parallel to Kilkenny Castle Grounds) is the third section of the Nore Linear Park

The trail begins at the Canal Square on Rose Inn Street where there is a new City pavilion with benches overlooking the Rivercourt hotel, in the shadow of the historic Kilkenny Castle. This is an attractive walk lined for much of its length with mature trees especially limes. The walk runs from Canal Square and terminates at Archersgrove Mills (also known as Fennessey’s Mill) . During Kilkenny Castle Park open hours it is possible to access the grounds of the Castle Park from the Canal Walk. An extension to the walk will eventually take you for miles into the countryside following the course of the River Nore towards the town of Inistioge.