A spring in a suburban field
St Colmcille’s Well lies near Orlagh (the old Augustinian retreat centre) off the Ballycullen Road in Knocklyon, south Dublin. In the tradition recorded by the parish, a spring runs over a worn bullaun stone – said to be the print of the saint’s knee – into a stone basin, with a statue of Colmcille standing in a niche above it. It is a quiet spot to pause for a few minutes, though the traffic noise from the road stops it feeling remote.
History and legend
The well is said to be older than the saint attached to it, a spring given a Christian story. Tradition says Colmcille, who lived at the monastery of St Mobhí in Glasnevin before founding Iona, stopped here to drink on one of his journeys to Glendalough and blessed the water. It is known as Tobar na Cluas, the Well of the Ear, and its water was believed to cure ailments of the eyes, ears and throat.
By the early twentieth century the spring had been all but forgotten, choked with growth. In 1914 a Rathfarnham postman, Jimmy Murray, rediscovered it, and students from the Augustinian novitiate at nearby Orlagh took the site in hand – clearing it, laying it out and building the bridge. A statue of the saint, carved in Italy, was set up over the well; accounts of the year differ, giving 1914, 1917 or 1919. A memorial Celtic cross stands in the grounds.
One vanished custom is worth a mention: a tree once overhung the well, and people hammered so many devotional medals into its bark that it looked scaled like a fish, until it finally fell in 1960.
What you’ll see
- The statue niche – a gable-fronted stone niche holding the figure of Colmcille, with rough paving set around the well opening.
- The water garden and bridge – a short wooden bridge over the stream, the still water usually mirroring the sky.
- The Celtic cross – a modest memorial cross among the planting.
- Old practices – the folk tradition of the cures has been kept alive by some visitors who leave small tokens.
Pilgrimage
The site has held an ecumenical prayer service on the Sunday nearest Colmcille’s feast day, 9 June. Ask Knocklyon Parish for current arrangements before planning to attend.
Getting there and practical tips
- Access – the well is off the Ballycullen Road near Orlagh. The parish asks that any organised visit be arranged with it, and that the well, field and gates are left undisturbed. A gate secures the water source itself.
- Parking – there is no car park. Check local signs and do not block driveways.
- Terrain – steps lead down from the road to the water and there is no ramp, so the approach is awkward for anyone with limited mobility.
- Facilities – none on site that we can confirm. Knocklyon village is close by.
- Contact – ask Knocklyon Parish about group visits or the June service through the parish website or on (01) 494 1204.
Nearby
- Orlagh – the former Augustinian centre whose community restored the well.
- Knocklyon village – shops and cafés a short way off, with bus links towards Rathfarnham and beyond.
For a well hemmed in by houses and a busy road, it slows the pace more than you’d expect.