Location map of the rag well taken from Bing Maps
April 19, 2014 8:12 am
The Rag Well is a small well located in the townland of Knocklucas, on the southern outskirts of the town of Clonmel. The well gives its name to the surrounding area which is generally referred to as the ‘ragwell’. This is not a holy well it is more of a wishing well and there is a long tradition of people coming here and tying rags to a white thorn tree beside the well to make a wish .
Location map of the rag well taken from Bing Maps
While writing my last post on St Patricks well at Marlfield I came across some old photos of the Rag Well in the National Library of Ireland online photographic database. I became very curious about the well, its history, if it had changed or had been refurbished.
So last weekend I paid a visit to the site with my uncle Eddie who grew up in the Old Bridge area of Clonmel town and as a child visited the site.
The landscape of the site at the end of the 19th- early 20th century
In 1841 John O’Donovan records that the well as being known as Tobar na Gréine / the well of the sun. Although he refers to it as a holy well, he makes no mention of pilgrimage or an association with a saint. By the early 20th century the well was known as the Rag Well and continues to be known by this name to this day.
The well is an underground stream which flows into a stone lined channel. At the time the photo below was taken in the early 1900’s the well was surrounded by a low circular wall. The enclosing wall was in poor condition and it looks like only the footings of the wall were visible when the photo was taken.
French, R., & Lawrence, W. M.. (18651914). Holy Well, Ragwell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary (Taken from http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000319096)
In the photo the white thorn tree beside the well is covered in rags. The well looks directly across at Slievenamon mountain and the mountain is was clearly visible in the photo above. The modern tree coverage is alot more dense and the view is not as clear but its still pretty impressive.
French, R., & Lawrence, W. (. M.. (18651914). Slievenamon from Roguell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000331355
A later photo, of unknown date, shows that the wall around the well had been rebuilt and the well has remained unchanged to this day.
The Rag Well photo taken some time in the 20th century ( image taken http://www.igp-web.com/tipperary/photos/oldphotos/index.htm)
The Rag well today
To get to the Rag Well you head out of Clonmel along the mountain road and at the first junction, on a sharp bend you take the smaller road (see map above). A short distance up this road you will see a small green gate that opens on to an old grassy laneway.
Gateway leading to the path to the Rag Well
Go through the gate and the path to the well is on the right hand side above the lane. It is easy to miss the path and you have to climb up to it. The path consist of stone steps which are now covered in leaves and dirt. The steps are very slippy so do take care climbing and if you are anyway unsteady on your feet id give it a miss, I stumbled a few times on the way up and down.
Stone steps leading to the Rag Well
The path is a little bit over grown in places but it will lead you to the well. Like the path the well is neglected and over grown. In the older photos the well was surrounded by pasture but today the field is covered in bracken and gorse.
The Rag Well surrounded by bracken
The well is still surrounded by the circular stone wall. The wall is in a reasonable state of preservation but there are patches in need of repair. The well can be entered through a small opening in the south. The interior is now very over grown, although it is clear the interior hasn’t change since French photographed the well in the 1900’s see photo below. The water flows out from the ground into the stone channel which in turn flows out of the enclosure and heads down hill.
French, R., & Lawrence, W. (. M.. (18651914). Holy Well, Ragwell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000319095
The rag tree which is a white thorn tree is covered in ivy. It looks like the ivy is choking the tree which is really sad given its history. There are still some rags on the tree which suggests some adventurous people still come here.
The Rag Tree which gives the Rag Well its name.
As I said before this is not a not a holy well but a wishing well. O’Connell in 1956 noted
There until recently the young ladies used to tie a bit of a rag around a branch of a tree, perhaps adding a prayer like ” Dear St Anne, send me a man….”
As a child my uncle was told the well was associated with the fairies and he and his friends would tie rags to the tree to make wishes before heading off to the near by reservoir to go for a swim.
Id love to hear from anyone who has any memories of the rag well and I hope this post will encourage people to visit it so this magical place does not become forgotten.
View of Slievenamon from the well today
References
French, R., & Lawrence, W. M.. (18651914). Holy Well, Ragwell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary . http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000319096
French, R., & Lawrence, W. (. M.. (18651914). Slievenamon from Roguell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000331355
French, R., & Lawrence, W. (. M.. (18651914). Holy Well, Ragwell Glen, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000319095
O’Connell, P 1956. ‘St Patrick’s well Clonmel, Co. Tipperary: an early Christian sanctuary of the decies. Phamplet . Clonmel: St Patrick’s Day Society.
O’ Flanagan, Rev. M. (Complier) 1929. Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Waterford collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1841. Bray: Typescript.
Posted by pilgrimagemedievalireland
Categories: Holy Trees, Holy Well, Uncategorized
Tags: Rag Well Clonmel, The Rag Well, Wishing Well
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I visited the Rag Well many times c. 1950. Sad to see it so overgrown. My grandmother lived near by and drew water from the well. From your photos it looks very much changed from my recollection. I remember a very steep open field with the walled well in the centre and beside it the bush with the rags attached. My father said the old people had a phiseog about the fairies and getting a wish if you tied a piece of cloth to the bush. A souvenir program for the Irish Technical Congress, Clonmel, 1922 says, “The Ragwell is situated on the slopes of the hills to the south of the town towards the eastern extremity. Here, too, may be seen the relics of offerings made by devout believers in the miraculous waters”
Ask your uncle Eddie, did he ever stand under the “Spout”.
“in the vicinity of Old Bridge is situated the “Spout”, from which gushes a supply of ice-cold water even in the middle of summer. The Corporation has provided accommodation for those who wish to indulge in a refreshing bath” ibid
By Brian C Phelan on April 19, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Brian its really the same the only difference is the vegetation growth which is very thick the field is very steep but the bracken lessens the effect, id say if a few sheep were in the field it would be back to pasture in no time. Thanks so much for the info thats brilliant it all helps flesh out what we know about it. i wonder given its location and view of Slievenaman was there some prehistoric activity here too. I will definitely ask my uncle about the spout is that the public baths? if so we plan to see if we can find them have some old photos too and the old spa well too in the coming weeks
By pilgrimagemedievalireland on April 21, 2014 at 9:22 pm
I have often heard off the ragwell but never visited it, i often drove and walked in this area but never saw a sign. I am looking forward immensely to walking up there this evening as your directions are clear. I just hope such an historic place is not overgrown or neglected as that would be a shame, excellent website!
By trevor browne trev on August 21, 2015 at 10:09 am
Thanks Trevor, Id love to know how you get on at the well and what state its in since my visit.
Louise
By pilgrimagemedievalireland on August 22, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Hi Trevor, Please tell us about your visit.
By Brian C Phelan on August 22, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Reblogged this on Irish history, folklore and all that.
By Jörgen Hartogs on August 5, 2016 at 6:22 am
Thank you for this story. I’m a bit of an archaeologist/anthropologist at heart and I have a strong love of Celtic medieval history especially. Your story made my heart happy.
By Hazel Atkins on August 9, 2016 at 9:35 pm
[…] in Medieval Ireland blog has posts on St Patrick’s Well in Marlfield and the lesser known Rag Well also in […]
By Holy Well, Wilderness Gorge, Clonmel – seamussweeney on September 4, 2016 at 7:52 pm
As children we regularly walked up the rag well rd. to my Grandparents house, I can only once ever remember actually visiting the well, and thinking it was a magical place, must go again to see it, next time I am in Clonmel, thank you for bringing it to my attention again.
By Breeda Hobbart on March 14, 2021 at 2:35 am