Almost on the spur of the moment, we decided to travel to Glenbeigh in County Kerry to take part in the annual Easter Monday pilgrimage going to St Finán/Finnian’s Well. This well was renovated by local people in 2019 and is a source of much community pride – I have visited once before and written about the site, and the complex St Finán. This blog entry is really just a visual documentary of what turned out to be a most enjoyable event.
The meeting place, the Red Fox Inn, lies right next to the Kerry Bog Museum and we had a quick look around this first.
By 1pm around 150 pilgrims were ready for the challenging 8km walk to the well and back.
A lone piper gathered us in and we were off, the day unexpectedly warm and sunny.
Our fellow pilgrims were a suitable mixed group of young, old and in-between, plus quite a few dogs.
The route was magnificent and pretty steep as we wend our way across a river, down small lanes and then up onto the high mountain road.
Huge views opened up – the Dingle Peninsula looking moody across the water, the impressive Macgillycuddy’s Reeks to our left. The pace was brisk and it was literally breath-taking!
The well is high up, the parking was tight but a place had been saved for the priest.
Mass was held at the top of the very steep path which leads down to the well.
It was conducted by two priests, a timeless feel to it all.
And then people slipped down the gravelly path to take the water at the well and light candles.
Now we had to return – a downward loop then back the same way we had come. The well can just about be seen on the mountainside.
Tea was waiting for us in the seriously packed pub! It looked like it might be a long evening. We slipped away to sit by the sea at Rossbeigh and rest our weary feet.
What an enjoyable event, congratulations to the Well Committee for keeping St Finnian’s Well in such good order and for organising the pilgrimage.
The location of the well can be found in the Gazetteer.
What a lovely event! Thanks for sharing. Sending Easter blessings.