Day 2 of the Banteer explorations and the the first well on today’s agenda was very close to where we were staying. St Fursey’s Well (or Forsin or Forsa or Fursa) seemed to lie just outside an old graveyard. We found the graveyard easily enough, right beside the road and very enticing it was too […]
North Cork
St Ita & St Finnian: more exploring around Millstreet
North Cork is rich in holy wells and although we have made several fruitful exploratory visits already, there are still plenty of interesting sites to visit. We travelled with our friends Robert and Finola of Roaringwater Journal fame and treated ourselves to two nights in a large and spacious Airbnb just outside Banteer. St Ita’s […]
Meandering south of Mallow
Four wells on the agenda today, all south of Mallow and all having interesting and detailed write ups by Colonel Grove White in his Historical and Topological Notes etc. Ania’s Well, Tobar Aine, Dromore As we approached Dromore House, (now called Nazareth House and run by the Sisters of Nazareth as a holistic centre) where the well […]
St Gregory & St Catherine: two secretive wells in North Cork
Visiting North Cork with some friends we headed in the direction of Glanworth, first stopping off at two saintly wells: one dedicated to St Gregory and the other to St Catherine. Gregory’s Well, Tobercarrown, Ballyshonock This well is not marked on the current OS map but is referred to as Tobercarrown on the historic 25 […]
St Declan, St Leonard & a Poor Child
St Declan’s Well, Tobarnadeecla Be warned this well, dedicated to St Declan or St Decla, is marked on the current OS map but on the wrong side of the very busy N20 just north of Buttevant! The GPS on, I was risking life and limb trying to access where I thought the well was, traffic […]
The Three Marys: a trio of Marian Wells in North Cork
Since I began this project, a year and a half ago, I have come across dedications to 51 various saints at nearly 200 wells. The most popular patron is the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), who currently has 29 wells dedicated to her. Not surprising really considering her elevated place in the Catholic pantheon as Mary, […]