Dublin Core
Title
St Colmcille's Well
Description of Well Item Type Metadata
1 Name of well and saint
St Colmcille's Well
2 Townland, County, GPS
Located in Skryne in County Meath.
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
"To the north of the old church on the hill" (French 2012: 24). in Skryne.
5 Pattern day
9 June
8 Stories
According to Thunder in 1886, “Aichill was the ancient name of this place; it was thus called till the close of the ninth century, when the relics of the saint were brought there, in order to preserve them from the ravages of the Danes; hence Aichill was called Scrinium Sanctæ Columbæ.” (Thunder 1886: 656). Additionally,“tradition asserts that Columbkille, finding no water at Skryne, prayed that a spring might rise up; his prayer was heard, and, as a memorial of that event, he fixed iron nails in a flag-stone which is still visible at the well – having protuberances like a head of nails” (Thunder 1886: 656).
French, in 2012 recounts the story of the well as: “Skryne, named after the Shrine of St Colcille’s relics, was an early Christian monastery and it has a well dedicated to the saint. St Colmcille’s Well, to the north of the old church on the hill, was the centre of an annual pilgrimage. According to a local tradition when Colmcille was building his church at Skryne, he was in need of a water supply, the absence of which occasioned much loss of working time. At length he went on his knees and stayed there until, by sheer dint of praying, a fountain of crystal clear water appeared on the spot. As a token of gratitude for the miracle he drove some iron nails into a flagstone which is still to be seen at the well having small protuberances about the size of nail heads. In the 1830s John O’Donovan recorded that attempts were made to remove the protuberances with a chisel and they were found to be of metal. Tradition has it that the two grooves on the flagstone which not forms part of the canopy over the well were worn into the stone by the saint’s knees. In the twentieth century the well was surrounded by a wall and a gate erected” (French 2012: 24).
French, in 2012 recounts the story of the well as: “Skryne, named after the Shrine of St Colcille’s relics, was an early Christian monastery and it has a well dedicated to the saint. St Colmcille’s Well, to the north of the old church on the hill, was the centre of an annual pilgrimage. According to a local tradition when Colmcille was building his church at Skryne, he was in need of a water supply, the absence of which occasioned much loss of working time. At length he went on his knees and stayed there until, by sheer dint of praying, a fountain of crystal clear water appeared on the spot. As a token of gratitude for the miracle he drove some iron nails into a flagstone which is still to be seen at the well having small protuberances about the size of nail heads. In the 1830s John O’Donovan recorded that attempts were made to remove the protuberances with a chisel and they were found to be of metal. Tradition has it that the two grooves on the flagstone which not forms part of the canopy over the well were worn into the stone by the saint’s knees. In the twentieth century the well was surrounded by a wall and a gate erected” (French 2012: 24).
9 Publications
Thunder, John M. “The Holy Wells of Meath.” The Journal of the Royal Historical and
Archaeological Association of Ireland. Oct 1886-Jan 1887, pp 655-658.
French, Noel. 2012. Meath Holy Wells. Trim: Meath Heritage Centre.
Archaeological Association of Ireland. Oct 1886-Jan 1887, pp 655-658.
French, Noel. 2012. Meath Holy Wells. Trim: Meath Heritage Centre.