Ritual site - holy well, Craigmaddyroe Far, Co. Donegal

Ritual site – holy well, Craigmaddyroe Far, Co. Donegal

In the townland of Craig or Cregg, about two miles from Rathmullen along the road to Rathmelton, a pair of holy wells have drawn pilgrims for centuries.

Ritual site - holy well, Craigmaddyroe Far, Co. Donegal

One of these, known as Tobar Breallagh, likely takes its name from St. Baothallach, whose feast day falls on 5 October. First documented by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936, both wells appear on Ordnance Survey maps dating back to 1837, marking their long-standing significance to the local community.

The well sits in low-lying ground just 30 metres from the shores of Lough Swilly, tucked a few metres east of a field fence. Rather than a conventional spring, it consists of a bullaun stone; a flat slab roughly 85 centimetres across with a carved depression that collects and holds water. The basin itself measures about 30 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres deep, with stones carefully arranged overhead to form a protective roof. Visitors have left offerings of white quartz pieces atop the stone, a common practice at Irish holy wells.

Local tradition holds that the water possesses healing properties, particularly for eye ailments. This belief, recorded by historian Brian Lacy in 1983, connects the site to a broader pattern of curative wells found throughout Ireland, where specific springs and sacred waters were sought out for treating various afflictions. The well’s proximity to Lough Swilly and its simple stone construction reflect the understated nature of many Irish pilgrimage sites, where natural features and modest human interventions combine to create spaces of enduring spiritual significance.

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Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O’Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council. Ó Muirgheasa, E. 1936 The holy wells of: Donegal. Béaloideas 7, No. 2, 143-62. Corrigenda 7, No. 2, 247, 1937.
Craigmaddyroe Far, Co. Donegal
55.08293096, -7.58147469
55.08293096,-7.58147469
Craigmaddyroe Far 
Holy Sites & Wells 

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