By Mervin Ennis
From Ancient times, the St Brigid’s Well at Tay Lane , Rathcoole was a place of veneration. Devotion to St Brigid was widespread in Leinster and particularly so in South County Dublin, with Holy Wells at Clondalkin, Rathcoole, and Churches dedicated to St Brigid at Baldonnel and Kilbride, where a relic of St Brigid is held to this day. Malachy Horan, the Seanchaí records that there was a festival to St Brigid held annually in Brittas.
After the COVID-19 epidemic, a group of local historians and residents came together, and formed a group to lobby for the full restoration of St Brigid’s well at Tay Lane Rathcoole. The widening of the laneway had resulted in a lot of destruction to the well site by the South Dublin County Council (SDCC) and the Restoration Committee wanted the Well restored. The fear was that since the Martin Building Group had sought planning permission to build apartments on the grounds surrounding the ancient site the well would possibly be completely destroyed The precise location of the ancient site is recorded on every available map of the area of Rathcoole from the earliest times and this and the precise coordinates of the location was forwarded to SDCC and the Martin group.
The restoration committee spearheaded by Local retired history teacher Ann Hackett and community activist Brona Ui Loing was formed and the Department of Arts and Heritage, South Dublin County Council and the Martin Building Group lobbied for the full restoration of the Well with open access to it for the community. For the past four years, there has been a gathering at the well to celebrate St Brigid in poetry and story thus restoring her presence in the local consciousness of the people. 2025 will be an important milestone in the story of the well as the Martin Building Group will be forging ahead with its planned development. It is hoped that the restoration of the well which is a vital caveat in SDCC granting the permission will be completed also.
L/R Emer Higgins T.D., Cllr. Shirley O Hara, with some members of the Restoration Committee, Margaret Murphy, Ann Hackett, Mervyn Ennis, (Chairperson), Margaret Ennis, Brona Ui Loing ( Hon Secretary), Martina Ring, Noreen Phelan and Connie Conway.
Pic credit: Tommy Keogh
