Blessed Well, Rossbrin, West Cork

I had heard that a holy well lay somewhere down by the sea at Rossbrin and though it deserved an exploration. First I decided to visit the castle, newly up for sale. This rather wonky but atmospheric stack is all that remains of Fineen O Mahony’s fifteenth century tower house, once renowned for its scholarship and hospitality.

The holy well, generally known as the Blessed Well, was reputed to lie across the bay from the castle but according to the Archaeological Inventory for County Cork there was no visible trace. Several accounts in the Schools’ Folklore Collection however describe it, including this one which has a helpful clue as to its location:

People also go to the “Blessed well.” In Rossbrin strand, it is about one hundred and fifty yards east of the pier. There was an old tree over the “blessed” well.” People always left some little thing after them on the tree. Rossbrin school

SFC: 400:0288

The pier remains and as I was pondering which direction was east a woman walked by. I asked her if she had any idea where the holy well was; she said no but but the lady coming down the lane would! Indeed she did and directed me toward the pier: 50 paces from the pier, look for where the water comes out of the rock. The tide was low and the area covered in purple sea asters.

The pier was easy to get locate and I counted 50 paces and looked around hopefully and sure enough, there did seem to be some water trickling from a rock collecting in a natural basin. Had I found the well

Looking closer there was evidence that I was in the right place. I was was delighted to find two white plastic rosaries tucked into the rock and in the well itself was a scattering of coins.

Like at most wells, it was traditional to leave offerings after your visit:

There is holy well called “The Blessed Well” in the townland of Ballycumisk, about three miles from the school. The water of the well comes out of a rock. Sometimes the well gets full of gravel. Rounds were performed there long ago, and are still performed there. Bits of cloth are left at the well, also bottles, and money. It is thought that the origin of its holiness is as follows:- there is a a hill about three hundred yards from the well called Leacha na h-áltóra, and mass might have been said on that hill, and the water of the well used for the mass got there. There is a whitethorn growing over the well.

The whitethorn is no longer in evidence but gravel seems to remain, actually stones of many varied and interesting colours giving the water an unusual hue.

The water was cold, clear and fresh, gathering in a natural basin in the rock, then flowing out into the strand. It held a cure for toothache, especially effective if visited on particular days of the week:

There is a holy well in the townland of Ballycummisk about three miles from Ballydehob. The well is called the Blessed Well. There is a whitethorn tree growing around it. A man wanted to thatch his house with a branch from that tree, and the house fell that night. The well is coming from a rock, and it is not deep. People call there on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to pray. If a person had a toothache and took a drink from the well on any one of these days which I have named he would be cured. There is no account of the origin of the well’s holiness, but there is a slope about three hundred yards from the well called Leaca na h-Altóra which means the slope of the altar. There is a big stone on the slope, and it may have been used as an altar long ago, and perhaps water from the well used to be used as the water for the wine at mass. Maybe that is how the people considered it holy.

SFC:275/276:0290

A modern plastic pipe bore witness to the fact that someone still appreciated the fresh water.

Later I spoke to another woman, Sheila, who has lived close by since the early 1970s and could remember the well being venerated. A local woman with the evocative name of Babe Sheehan, now long passed on, told her that it was dedicated to St Fachtna. Sheila thought it also used to be visited on St John’s Eve, 23rd June. She had a nice story to tell: once two nuns came visiting the house asking for donations to a charity. Her two small sons hearing this, raced down to the well, collected all the coins left there and triumphantly returned to give the offerings to the nuns!

A rather special site, in a very scenic area

The location of this well can be found in the Gazetteer.

With thanks to Sheila for the additional information.