Seven wells of Killeigh Traditional Geocache
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(small)
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A lovely village with a lot of history. Ideal for a stop off and a stroll. The cache is a small clip-lock container with space for small trading items. Spoiler photo included as GPS a bit jumpy.
Enjoy the atmosphere!
We recommend parking at the village green, there are several spaces near the shop, the post office and also around the corner at the lights, outside the parish church.
It is worth visiting the village itself, there is a lovely green area at it's centre with several benches and picnic tables as well as a board with information about the village.
Also situated on the village green is an old handball alley and a statue of Mick the Miller (see below for more details). The cache site is a short walk away on the outskirts of the village on the Tullamore side.
If you are stuck for time, there is room for one or two cars on the lane at the well (cache site).
History
In 548 St Sinchell founded the monastery at Cell-achaid-drommo-foto’ (the church of the field of the long ridge).In the twelfth century the Augustinians established a priory here. A short stretch of wall near the community hall is all that survives of the Augustinian priory. A convent of Augustinian nuns was established at Killeigh in the late twelfth century and was possibly located where the modern post office is today.
Around 1293 O’Connor Fallighe (Offaly) founded a Franciscan friary in the monastic town of Killeigh which was dissolved in the late sixteenth century. In 1537, Lord Deputy Grey, who was unable to defeat O’Connor, looted the Franciscan friary and stole the organ and windows from the church. The Church of Ireland Church in the centre of the village contains the remains of the Franciscan friary. A Cross Slab is to be found in the chapter house of the Friary in village.
There is an impressive remains of a double banked monastic enclosure encircling the village of Killeigh, County Offaly. This was the town wall for the monastic Civitas of Killeigh.
St Sinchell’s Holy Well and Holy Tree are located just outside the monastic enclosure, to the northwest of the Church of Ireland Church.
(visit link)
For excellent more detailed information on the history of Killeigh visit (visit link)
Mick the Miller Statue
On the village green is a statue to commemorate Mick the Miller. Mick The Miller was the first star of greyhound racing. He was born in the village of Killeigh. He went on to win 15 out of 20 races in Ireland. Fr Brophy (the breeder) then sold him and he lived the rest of his life in Britain, where he went on to win 36 of 48 races, including the Greyhound St Leger, the Cesarewitch, the Welsh Greyhound Derby and the English Greyhound Derby twice (the first dog to do so and one of only four ever to achieve this feat).
(visit link)
Handball alley
In the centre of the green there is a handball alley. Gaelic handball (known in Ireland simply as handball; (Irish: liathróid láimhe) is a sport played in Ireland where players hit a ball with a hand or fist against a wall in such a way as to make a shot the opposition cannot return, and that may be played with two (singles) or four players (doubles). The sport is similar to American handball (a related and almost identical game), Basque pelota, racquetball and squash. It is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). In 2009, Irish Handball was rebranded as GAA Handball.
For more detailed information visit: (visit link)
Post office
If you have any letters to post (or bills to pay, eugh!), do call into the post office in the village. The postmaster is very nice and full of interesting information. Also, the post office itself is tiny and has a feel of Ireland as it would have been many years ago. Sadly, too many of these rural post offices around the country are closing.
Old forge
Can you find the old forge in the village? You will walk past it on your way from the village to the well.
The seven blessed wells of Killeigh
In 6th century St. Sincheall, the elder, built a church which gave the place the name Cill-achaid-droma-foda; Cill being the Irish for church. "Droma-foda" was still retained to distinguish it from another Cill-achaidh, also situated in Co. Offaly in those times. The present name, Killeigh, is merely a modified form of Cill-achaidh.
He died in 548, at the great age of three hundred and thirty years, according to the annals of the Four Masters, though, as Colgan thinks, this is probably a misprint for one hundred and thirty. He is, therefore, the patron saint of the village; and the "Seven Blessed Wells," celebrated for their supposed healing properties, are dedicated to him.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fcbvyre cubgb & ybbx ng gur onfr.