I’m delighted, and slightly terrified, to announce that my book, Holy Wells of County Cork, will be launched on Friday 21st July at the Working Artist Studios, Main Street, Ballydehob, from 5pm. Gary Branigan, author of The Ancient and Holy Wells of Dublin, will kindly be doing the honours. The book can now be pre-ordered […]
Cill Rialagh: an elusive well on the edge of the world
Still in Kerry and a wild and remote spot on the agenda today – Cill Rialaigh, or Kildreelig, an early ecclesiastical settlement on a small headland, clinging onto the cliffs – with a holy well. First we were distracted by St Michael’s Well, Tobar Mhíchíl, near Ballinskelligs, visited before but always worth a revisit. We […]
Sister, Wife, Mother, Saint: St Darerca of Valentia
St Darerca’s Well, also known as Sunday’s Well, Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh, is situated on scenic Valentia Island in Kerry. I had come across this attractive image taken in 1955 and hoped that it might still remain but two previous searches had been fruitless. This time I was determined to track it down. Having already […]
Navigatio: a voyage to Illaunloughan
Finally a field trip and two adventurous days on the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry with our friends Robert and Finola of Roaringwater Journal fame. The highlight of the visit had to be a trip to Illaunloughan, a tiny island in the middle of Portmagee Channel, just 350m from the mainland and close to Valentia Island. […]
New book: a sneaky preview
I haven’t had much time for fieldwork recently and this is the reason! This book is the result of seven years visiting, recording and researching as many of the of the 358 holy wells in County Cork as was physically possible – 330 at the last count with 28 still remaining elusive. I think this […]
Views, folklore & a lot of green: St Patrick’s Well, Knockpatrick, Limerick
Close to the sea-drenched well at Barrigone is another well, a very different one, this one 572m above sea level and one of several interconnected monuments. St Patrick’s Well, Knockpatrick The site is gated but clearly signed and there is public access. We decided to go to the summit first and and followed the roughly […]