County: Galway Site name: ‘ST BRIGID’S WELL’, Kiltullagh
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0768
Author: Fiona Rooney, Arch. Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Ritual site - holy well
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 557519m, N 725161m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.275075, -8.636922
The proposed development at ‘St Brigid’s Well’, Kiltullagh, Co. Galway, consisted of the renovation of the area around the well to facilitate pilgrims attending the well. The renovations were undertaken by the local community development group and consisted of the construction of a low wall around the well, with a shrine in the south wall. A post-and-rail fence was also to be erected along the field boundary giving access to the well.
The holy well at Kiltullagh is located close to a church, which in turn lies in the centre of an early monastic enclosure. It was recommended that the manual excavations be monitored under licence.
The proposed development involved the excavation of four foundation trenches around the well, two small trenches for the statue and a trench through the drain. Removal of the sod and topsoil in these trenches to a depth of 0.35m revealed a grey marl. No features/deposits or artefacts of archaeological significance were uncovered during the course of the monitoring.
Ballydavid South, Athenry, Co. Galway
