County: Offaly Site name: CLONMACNOISE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 5:35 Licence number: 04E1168
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Holy well
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 600913m, N 730669m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.326277, -7.986294
Excavation of St Kieran's Well, in advance of its partial reconstruction, was carried out at Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly. The site is located half a mile south-west of the main monastic complex at Clonmacnoise. The location of four monuments surrounding the well was recorded and a cutting measuring 9m by 10m was excavated within the area of the well. Excavation concluded that the well was cut into the natural boulder clay and gravels and that the structure was post-medieval in origin. All finds recovered from the fill of the feature were 19th-20th-century in date and consisted mainly of coins.
