Founded in the seventh century by St Féichín, the extensive remains of this Benedictine Abbey date from the twelfth century. Dotted around the large site are traces of the Seven Wonders of Fore which continue to entice curious pilgrims. Look out for two holy wells, a sacred tree and a hefty lintel.
In the Hoofprints of St Manchán: a trip to County Offaly
We’re just back from a short but action-packed few days in County Westmeath which turned out to be full of wonders and astonishment. Perhaps the most amazing was to be found enroute to the early monastic site of Lemanaghan, actually in County Offaly. St Manchán’s Shrine, Boher The first stop was at the little church […]
Signs & Serendipity – the changing fortunes of St Finbarr’s Well near Dunmanway
Serendipitous things often occur when looking for holy wells. St Finbarr is patron saint of Cork and his feast day is 25th September. The main pattern has always been at Gougane Barra, the site where he built his original cell, and an open air Mass is held on the Sunday nearest to this date. This […]
St Dominic’s Well, Glanworth & some thoughts on restoration & maintenance
I was recently invited to Glanworth in North Cork to give a talk on holy wells as part of National Heritage Week, and to acknowledge the recent renovation of St Dominic’s Holy Well by the local community groups. I have visited a few times before, each time alarmed by the neglected and sorry state of […]
Corca Dhuibhne Deep Maps: a collaboration
Just a short blog and an update on recording holy wells in County Kerry and a long overdue mention of the excellent Corca Dhuibhne Deep Mapping project, the inspiration of the Sacred Heart University in Dingle. This ambitious project aims : to record the geographical, environmental, historical and cultural places on the Dingle peninsula. It […]
A day out in Glenville with CHAS
I’ve been a member of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society (CHAS) for some time now but have never ventured out on one of their many interesting expeditions. When I saw they were going on an outing to Glenville in North Cork I was intrigued, especially as one of the places on the itinerary was […]