One of the really nice things about well hunting has been the meeting of so many different people, often in unexpected circumstances, They have unfailingly been kind, interested and helpful. My favourite phrases have to be : I’ll take you – or Hang on, I’ll just get my wellies. Which brings me to three gentleman recently encountered […]
West Cork
Old Friends Revisited
A final trip into the Gaeltacht Mhúscraí was required to find three unvisited wells. We intended to stay in the area for three days, Himself walking the Slí Muscrai Gaeltacht. I also had a motley quartet in my sights around Newtownshandrum. But we were slightly thwarted by the weather: no, not torrential rain or floods or […]
A trip across the border 2: Killarney wells
Part two of my Kerry excursion and a trip to Killarney meant various holy wells required visiting. The first was right in the centre of the town. St Mary’s Well, Killarney St Mary’s Well is in the town itself, conveniently near the central car park. It is an unexpected sight amidst the bustle of Killarney […]
Putting things off ’til later
Continuing from the last blog, still in the Gaeltacht and back to Baile Bhúirne (Ballyvourney). I had almost visited the next three wells once before, on the Trail of St Lachteen. They all looked in remote and challenging locations, and the descriptions for each were rather curt and unexciting. I had resolved to put them […]
In the footsteps of O Sullivan Bere
Summer arrived for a few magnificent days – an excellent opportunity to head to the hills and explore the Gaeltacht Mhúscraí around Baile Mhúirne (Ballyvourney) and Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary). I had six wells left in this area, all of them in seemingly remote and difficult areas, all of them with apparently little to […]
A Clonakilty Ramble part 2
Continuing on from the big day out in Clonakilty environs, four wells still remaining roughly in a direction towards Bandon. The next stop was Kilbrittain but I was momentarily distracted by some interesting things around Ballinascarthy which resulted in a quick stop to admire a ruined cottage, complete with unusually fancy door and windows. A possible […]