A crisp clear morning in Kinsale, we had four wells on the agenda on our way home. First stop Lady’s Well, just over the bridge at Ringrone. Lady’s Well, Tobar Mhuire, Ringrone The well looked to lie quite close to the road in pasture. According to the Archaeological Inventory, it no longer had holy use […]
West Cork
In Search of Cats around Toe Head
The day being fine we set out for Toe Head, a small peninsula somewhere below Skibbereen roughly towards Castletownsend. There were three wells on the agenda and I was not very hopeful about finding any of them. Once off the main Castletownsend road the roads become quite challenging but highly scenic: tiny bumpy roads with […]
Two Kinsale Wells
A day in Kinsale; rather nice once the crowds have gone, to wander around the windy streets, admire the old buildings and enjoy a white pizza: no tomato sauce but pears, goat’s cheese and walnuts. The Abbey Well, Tobar na Mainistreache The first well goes under many names – Abbey Well, Friary Well, Lady’s Well, […]
Gougane Sunday
The 25th September, is the Feast day of St Finbarr, also known as Gougane Sunday. St Finbarr is the patron saint of the city of Cork and the Dioscese of Cork. Gougane Barra, where he established a monastic cell in the sixth century, was, and remains, one of the main pilgrimage destinations in County Cork. […]
On the road to Derryduff
This Sunday, 25th September, is the Feast Day of St Finbarr, the patron saint of Cork. There will be Mass held at Gougane Barra where he established a cell in the seventh century (more information about this shortly). Traditionally pilgrimages were made to Gougane at this time of year from all over Cork and many […]
A tale of two Lickeys*
What makes a well holy is a question I’ve often been asked and one I pondered on today as I investigated two very different but both interesting wells. Letterlickey Well First stop Letterlickey (leitir lice, hillside of the flagstones) where I had been invited to look at a well on private land. The owners had […]