The fountain is one of Adare’s central landmarks. It is situated near the Catholic Church and at the entrance to the burial ground. The fountain bears the inscription…‘Lord prosper thou our handiwork, in grateful memory of the zeal shown by the people of this village in quenching the fire at the offices of Adare Manor on the 18th of April 1844. This supply of water was brought and fountain erected by Caroline Countess of Dunraven’.

In 1844 a fire occurred at the offices of Adare Manor and local people assisted in getting water from a nearby source and saving all the building. As a mark of gratitude to the people of Adare, Caroline Countess of Dunraven had a fountain erected in 1855. Water was piped from a shallow well on the estate over a distance of a half mile. At the turn of the century the fountain was still used by locals and people arrived daily on their horse and cart to take the fresh spring water home. As well as providing water, it was a popular meeting place for the locals.

Restoration work on the fountain was completed in October 2021 with seating provided.