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Mayo - 10
Ardoley

Site/Artefact Ardoley Type Holy Well Site Number SMR Mayo 087 040 National Grid Reference 097280 East 282550 North Map ( 1:50000) Ordnance Survey Ireland, Discovery Series 31 List of Sites and Artefacts Click Here Interactive Map Click Here

Photo: Liam Murphy

Description
"The holy well here is named 'St Columcille's Well' on the 1830 and later O.S. maps" (Morahan, 2001). Columban monks settled this area commonly known as Oughavale graveyard, hence the origins of the well's name (Knox, 1908). The name Oughavale itself is a corruption of 'Nua Chongabhal' meaning new settlement or community perhaps indicating the overprinting of the Columban tradition on an area that had already seen the Patrician influence, as both St Patrick and St Columcille are associated with this area (Morahan, 2001).

Wells inside their enclosures had a special spiritual aura and would sometimes be marked out as such by cross-inscribed slabs (Walsh, 1983). The wells were used for baptism signifying cleanliness of body and soul and rebirth. The space surrounding the well became a place of miracles. Perhaps there are echoes of a pre-Christian significance, adapted to a Christian function (Bradley, 1999). Columcille had both healed and converted at evil wells controlled by druids (Bitel, 1990).

Excavation Details
Not Available

Access/Ownership
Public

References

• Bitel, L.M. 1990, Isle of the Saints, Monastic Settlement and Christian Community in Early Ireland, London, pp73-4, 186-7
• Bradley, I. 1999, Celtic Christianity, Making Myths and Chasing Dreams, Edinburgh, pp 19-20
• Knox, H.T. 1908, The History of County Mayo, Dublin, p.35
• Morahan, L. 2001 Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo archaeology, landscape and people, Croagh Patrick Archaeological Committee, Mayo, pp 126-7
• Walsh, P. 1983, The Monastic Settlement on Rathlin O'Birne Island, County Donegal, JRSAI, 113, pp 52-65 

Mayo Sites and Artefacts

1. Mayo Abbey 2. Balla 3. Ballintubber Abbey 4. Tóchar Phadraig 5. Aghagower 6. Lankhill 7. Boheh 8. Croagh Patrick Summit 9. Carrownalurgan 10. Ardoley 11. Kiladangan 12. Glaspatrick 13. Shrawee 14. Clare Island - Strake 15. Clare Island - Lecarrow 16. Caher Island 17. Durless

18. Carrowmore 19. Knappaghmanagh 20. Cushalogurt 21. Carrowkeel Ecclesiastical Remains 22. Thornhill 23. Carrowkeel Murrisk 24. Carrowkeel Cahernaran 25. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-1 26. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-2 27. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-3 28. Carrowmacloughlin/ Glencally/ Teevenacroaghy 29. Carrowmacloughlin Sweathouses 30. Glaspatrick Holy Well

31. Glaspatrick Rath-1 32. Glaspatrick Early Ecclesiastical Remains 33. Glaspatrick Ringfort 34. Glaspatrick Rath-2 35. Glaspatrick Ecclesiatical Remains 36. Glaspatrick Altar 38. Glaspatrick Graveyard 39. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-1 40. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-2 41. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-3 42. Teevenacroaghy

Mayo - Vestvågøy - Mid-Argyll

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