Connell’s Well sits beside a modest cairn measuring 7.8m by 3.6m. This drystone-lined oval spring forms part of an ancient pilgrimage circuit that has drawn crowds of faithful visitors for centuries. The well is one of three sacred springs in the Kilcar area, alongside St. Carthach’s Well and Tobar Mhuire, the Blessed Virgin’s Well, each playing a vital role in local religious traditions.

The pilgrimage ritual, known as a turus, begins at the ruins of St. Carthach’s old church before proceeding to each of the three wells. Pilgrims make three circuits around each spring, then return to complete their devotions at the altar in the ruined church. This station traditionally takes place on 4 March, though St. Carthach’s feast day actually falls on 5 March, the same date as St. Ciaran’s festival. Local tradition suggests the date was shifted to allow pilgrims to complete both stations without conflict, with the understanding that the old Irish day began at sunset, making the evening of the 4th technically part of St. Carthach’s feast.

According to local lore, St. Carthach was a Munster bishop who travelled to this remote corner of Tirconaill to do penance for his sins. When his fellow Munstermen discovered his retreat and begged him to return home, he refused. The proximity of his well to that of St. Ciaran, his former teacher and trusted friend, adds an intriguing layer to the site’s history. Beyond the Christian wells, the area also contains Tobar Chnapostuin at nearby Muckross, which likely predates Christianity entirely; this spring commemorates what was probably a local deity from pagan times, having somehow escaped the attention of early missionaries and preserved its ancient identity through the centuries.