St. Patrick's Well

St. Patrick's Well

St Patrick’s Well

Mosney, Meath

The well is located “one kilometer north of Ben Head. A natural spring, St Patrick’s Well, is just east of the railway station and on the foreshore of the sea” (French 2012: 7).

French records that “in the 1830s John O’Donovan recorded that Julianstown had its pattern day each year on 8 September. The procession began at Moorechurch, passing through Keenogue Cross, Moymurthy and Sarsfield Cross to St Patrick’s Well. The pattern was last held in 1912” (French 2012: 7).

“When St Patrick was travelling from the mouth of the Delvin River to Tara he dispatched his boats by sea from the Delvin to the Boyne and he himself travelled overland. Between Laytown and Gormanston. The saint met a young man named Benignus. The young man fell at the saint’s feet and begged Patrick for permission to be allowed to follow him. St Patrick baptized Benignus at the well now known as St Patrick’s Well. Ben Head between Laytown and Gormanston is said to be named after St Benignus. St Benignus was the son of the High King of Ireland and later became Archbishop of Armagh and Archbishop of all Ireland” (French 2012: 7).

“St Patrick is the patron saint of the parish of Stmullen. The railway bridge near the well is called Peterswell Bridge but there is no record of a well dedicated to St Peter. St Peter’s Chapel was in the nearby townland of Irishtown” (French 2012: 7-8).

French, Noel. 2012. Meath Holy Wells. Trim: Meath Heritage Centre.