Known as Tobar na n-Aingeal, or “The Well of the Angels”, this small sacred site consists of a flag-covered well accompanied by a distinctive basin stone measuring half a metre long and a quarter metre wide. The well continues to draw pilgrims who perform stations here on May Eve, a practice that hints at origins far older than Christianity itself, possibly stretching back to pre-Christian Celtic traditions.

The site gained particular significance during Ireland’s penal era, when Catholic worship was outlawed and priests were forced to conduct services in secret. Local tradition tells of a hunted priest who sought refuge at this very well, beginning to pray the Stations to the angels as his pursuers closed in. According to the account recorded by historian Ó Muirgheasa in 1936, a miraculous thick fog suddenly descended upon the area, completely confounding those who sought to capture him and allowing the priest to escape.

This blend of ancient pagan practice and Catholic devotion makes Tobar na n-Aingeal a fascinating example of how Irish sacred sites evolved over millennia, absorbing new religious meanings whilst maintaining their older ritual significance. The well stands as a quiet testament to both the persistence of folk tradition and the ingenuity of those who kept their faith alive during times of religious persecution, all set within the rolling landscape of rural Donegal.