Saint Fachtna's well, the
holy well from which the townland is named, lies near the ruined former parish church. Saint
Modomnoc reputedly lived as a
hermit in the area in the sixth century, and a
pattern was celebrated there on 13 February, his
feast day. The church was built before the
Norman invasion of Ireland, and the parish formerly belonged to the
Diocese of Lismore rather than the
Diocese of Ossory. A pillar in the churchyard is carved in the style of a Celtic
high cross, of which it may be a remnant. In the
Church of Ireland the parish was united to Whitechurch parish by 1821, and in 1833 both were among five civil parishes in the
benefice of
Fiddown. In the
Catholic church it is part of
Templeorum parish. The parish was in County Tipperary as late as 1536, but had been transferred to County Kilkenny by 1649.
Population Censuses recorded population by townland until 1911. ==Transport==