It was lovely to be back in the field after a pause due to bad weather and life in general. It also feels as though I am on the last stretch of this project for I have now visited almost 250 holy wells and I suspect there can only be another 50 or so left […]
West Cork
Island Wells 5: Heir Island, Inis Uí Dhrisceoil
Heir island is a remarkable place, tiny at just 2.5km long and 1.5km at its widest, but it has rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, green boreens, and wild moorland. It is home to more than 200 different wildflowers and a haven for birds. 26 souls enjoy it year round but in the summer the numbers swell […]
Close Encounters of the Bovine Kind
Blessed Well, Tobairin Beannaithe, Cashelfean I have been trying to find this well for ages. It is not marked on the current OS Landranger map but I was intrigued by three detailed entries in the Schools’ Folklore Collection. The first two are especially interesting as they reference how the cure was said to work for both […]
Island Wells 4: Inis Earcáin, Sherkin Island
After two days of solid rain the sun came out and we headed down to Baltimore to catch the ferry to Sherkin Island, in search of a well. The journey over is a short one but highly picturesque as you sail past the Beacon, glimmering like a gigantic sugar cone. Some impressive clouds today but miraculously […]
The Rakes of Mallow
Who knew Mallow was so exciting? It’s a place that we normally just drive through on our way to somewhere else but today we stopped, three wells on the agenda. The first one I knew no long existed but I wanted to visit the site anyway. Well of the Breast, Toberaroughta, Mallow This well is […]
A clutch of Bullauns
Stouke burial ground comes as a bit of a surprise. It seems to be miles from anywhere, high up overlooking some spectacular countryside in West Cork. The name is odd too. The old name for the site is Kilaspick Oen – Church of Bishop John. Later it became cillin stuaice – little church of the […]