St. Dennis's Well

St. Dennis's Well

Saint Dennis's Well

Clogher Townland, County Louth

Close to the sea, St. Dennis's Well is on a slope in a tall rectangular structure, and only holds water in the winter. There is a large slab covering the well, with initials and crosses carved carefully into the stone.. It is additionally described as "roughly 8 ft long, 3 ft 6 ins wide, and 2 ft 10 ins deep" (Corcoran et al., 1930).

The well is in a cove on a seashore, it is shallow and has a stone structure over it. There is a large stone a short distance from the well that is known as St. Dennis's stone, it is said to have an imprint of the saint's knees.

St. Dennis's Feast Day is on the 9th of October, and it is mentioned that "in times past there was an extended patterns which might have incorporated both dates." Connolly and Moroney also note that, "On the last day of the pattern, called 'Sheela's Monday,' the 'Mayor' of the area was paraded in ridiculous guise to the well where he was immersed. This custom came to an abrupt end when the last incumbent candidate nearly drowned!"

Stations are mentioned, but it is unclear what they were (Connolly and Moroney, 1998) (Corcoran et al. 1930). It was also supposedly a pilgrimage destination (Corcoran et al., 1930).

It is said that when he was young, St. Dennis worked for a farmer in Clogherhead. He prayed at the well early every Sunday. Later, he was noticed by a priest, who sent word of him to the Pope, and eventually St. Dennis went to Rome. On his return voyage, he was shipwrecked and his body was swept into Clogher on a huge stone (St. Dennis's stone).

It is said that, in the last century, a sailor who lost his leg had it re-attached after making a pattern at the well (Connolly and Moroney, 1998).

The Schools' Collection", Volume 0675, pages 28-31: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5008868/4962270

"The Holy Wells of County Louth" by Larry Conclon, (1999), pages 346-347: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27729850?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

The Schools' Collection", Volume 0675, pages 28-31: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5008868/4962270

"The Holy Wells of County Louth" by Larry Conclon, (1999), pages 346-347: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27729850?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

"Walk to explore Clogherhead's great coastal history," Drogheda Independent, 2011: https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/walk-to-explore-clogherheads-great-coastal-history-27157612.html

"Townland Survey of County Louth" P. Corcoran, P. Ua Dubhda, S. Ua Mhairtin, and J.G. MacCooey (1930)

An article in the Drogheda Independent includes St. Dennis's Well in the Annagassan and District Historical Society walk around the coastline, and mentions "unusual carvings" in the stone (Drogheda Independent, 2011). Additionally, for more information about St. Dennis's colorful past, see The Schools Collection page here: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5008868/4962269/5077003