Hidden beneath moss, hedgerow, or pasture, the old wells of the Creggan region remain some of the most quietly powerful symbols of the area’s ancient history. These were once places of devotion, healing, and community gathering — springs of both water and meaning. Though many have dried up or been overtaken by brambles, they live on in memory and in the names of the land itself.
For centuries, wells were more than practical sources of water; they were places where the sacred met the everyday. People would travel to them on specific feast days, tie rags or ribbons to nearby trees, recite prayers, or take home small bottles of water believed to cure ailments. Some wells were associated with saints, others with miracles, and many with cures for sore eyes, warts, or livestock troubles. These were spiritual traditions carried quietly through times of hardship and suppression, especially during the Penal era, when Catholic worship was forced into the landscape.
In this post, we explore a few of the wells known to have existed in or around the Creggan area, and reflect on what their survival — or disappearance — tells us about the intersection of land, belief, and memory.
Wells as Sacred and Social Spaces
In rural Ireland, holy wells served multiple roles. They were devotional sites, places of pilgrimage, and sources of health remedies, but they also provided a social function. People met at the wells not only to pray or collect water, but to talk, exchange stories, and mark feast days. In many cases, wells were visited annually on a pattern day — often linked to a local saint or religious festival.
Creggan, like many other parishes, would have had several such wells, each known by a local name and its reputed healing power. While not all were formally documented, their presence can often be detected through townland names, old maps, or oral tradition. The lore surrounding them blends Christian and older pre-Christian beliefs — a continuity that is deeply embedded in the Irish rural imagination.
Saintly Associations and Healing Traditions
Holy wells were frequently dedicated to particular saints. In south Armagh and the wider Creggan area, there are records and recollections of wells dedicated to St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Moninna, among others. Pilgrims would recite specific prayers while walking a circuit of the well, often barefoot, and the water might be applied to the eyes or limbs for healing.
One well, sometimes referred to in older accounts as Tobar Phádraig (St Patrick’s Well), was believed to be especially helpful for ailments of the eyes — a common association among Irish holy wells. Another, said to be near Crossmaglen, was visited by people seeking relief from skin conditions or infections.
These traditions persisted well into the 20th century, particularly among older generations who kept alive the belief in the curative properties of spring water blessed by tradition and faith.
Lost Wells and Forgotten Sites
Many wells have been lost through land drainage, modern farming, or simply neglect. Where once there was a spring, now there may be only a damp patch in a field or a place-name hinting at what once stood there. The memory of these wells often survives only in local stories: “There used to be a stone with a hole for leaving coins,” or “Granny used to take us down there on Garland Sunday.”
Ordnance Survey maps from the 19th century occasionally marked wells as “Holy Well” or “Well (St X)”, but not all sites were recorded, especially those used quietly during Penal times or those regarded with suspicion by local clergy.
Despite their physical disappearance, these wells are part of the spiritual archaeology of the region — the unseen layers of devotion and cultural continuity that live just beneath the surface of the landscape.
Wells and the Penal Era
During the Penal Laws, when Catholic Mass was restricted, holy wells served as informal altars or gathering places for faith communities. In some parts of Ireland, priests secretly blessed wells or even celebrated Mass nearby. The wells became quiet sanctuaries, guarded by secrecy and local knowledge.
In Creggan, where the tradition of quiet resistance and religious perseverance runs deep, it is highly likely that some wells served in this role. Though direct records may not survive, the practice was widespread enough to make it probable — especially in remote or wooded areas.
Remembering and Reviving
Today, there is a renewed interest in Ireland’s holy wells, not only as religious sites but as elements of local heritage, biodiversity, and storytelling. While some have been restored by community groups or marked with plaques, many remain forgotten — their precise locations and names lost to time.
The Creggan History Society would welcome any information from local families about wells remembered from childhood, mentioned in older writings, or still existing in quiet corners. Even a simple note like “There was a well behind our old barn” can be a starting point for discovery.
If a well has survived — in part or whole — we may be able to help document it or add it to our records.
Echoes in the Land
The wells of Creggan are part of a deeper relationship between people and place. They remind us that land is not only about ownership or boundaries — it’s about memory, ritual, and connection. Each spring once offered not just water, but a kind of hope: that healing could be found close to home, that prayers had somewhere to go.
These wells may be hidden, but they are not entirely lost. Their stories linger in the landscape, waiting to be remembered, and perhaps one day, gently restored.