New signs about drinking water to be displayed at popular Tipperary tourist attraction

New signs advising people that the water at St. Patrick’s Well hasn’t been treated for drinking purposes are to be erected at the popular Clonmel visitor attraction.

Two signs with the wording ‘Danger - non-potable water, do not use for drinking, washing or cooking’ were erected by Tipperary County Council two weeks ago, to the surprise of many. 

The signs were displayed after two people became ill after drinking from the well.

The well “was therefore considered a potential causative factor”, according to the council.

These signs will now be removed and replaced by the council with a sign at the entrance gate and another at the well itself, where generations of townspeople and visitors alike have drawn water (which flows from an underground spring) for drinking.

“The new signs will have different wording and won’t take away from the religious ambience of the area or the well’s sense of history”, says Bernard Lennon, a member of the Marlfield Village Association and the St. Patrick’s Day Society, which maintains the well.

He said the committee has no issue with the new signs, which would blend into the area.

This development follows what Mr. Lennon described as a very constructive meeting between the local committee and District Engineer Eoin Powell at the well.

Thanking Mr. Powell for his courtesy, he said they were very pleased with the outcome of their discussions.

At a meeting of Clonmel Borough District the previous day, Cllr. Richie Molloy said the signs would be better at the main gate, rather than at the well itself where people often took photos at this beautiful spot. 

It was a long-standing tradition to drink from the well and he wondered if the water would be tested again in a month’s time.

Cllr. Molloy said that only two people had got sick after drinking the water. 

He said we were crying out for tourists and thousands of people visited the well each year.

If the committee didn’t look after this area it would be overrun and a wonderful amenity would be lost to the town.

Cllr. Siobhan Ambrose said if there was an issue with the quality of the water, signs were needed, but there was an issue with the location of the signs.

Cllr. Michael Murphy said he would be quite happy to leave the meeting and drink the water from St. Patrick’s Well.

He said the problems were the location of the signs and their wording. 

He wondered if the signs would need to be left there indefinitely, as in a week’s time there could be perfect compliance with EU drinking water directives.

John Fogarty, Tipperary County Council engineer said “it’s not drinking water quality, that is the bottom line”.

The water was vulnerable and the council wouldn’t be testing it going forward, he said.

Eamon Lonergan, council engineer, said the council had taken its advice on this from the HSE, and wouldn’t be in a position to guarantee the water. 

The church at St. Patrick’s Well was built in the 17th century but there are traces of an even older building. 

Inside the walls is the tomb of Nicholas White of Clonmel, who died in 1622. 

At the centre of the small lake is a weathered Celtic Cross, which dates from early Christian times in Ireland (possibly the fifth century).

The site  was extensively restored in 1969, with the help of the generous support of Sam Yorty, the Mayor of Los Angeles; Armand Hammer (an American business tycoon) and the Irish Israeli society of South California.

For more Tipperary news read Fundraising auction and tractor run to fund two year-old's life-changing surgery in the United States