Meandering through south County Limerick, a quick stop was made in Croom, County Limerick, in search of Lady’s Well. Steps from the main road lead down into a public park and the first things encountered are some strange looking stones – big ones. Three large stones seemed to be arranged in a triangular arrangement with […]
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The Case of the Missing Spectacles: All Saints’ Well, Loo Bridge, near Kilgarvan
Finally back in County Kerry and in search of a holy well that has long intrigued me: All Saints’ Well, Tobar na Naomh near Loo Bridge, Kilgarvan. This is the folklore that enticed me: There is a well at Loo Bridge called Tobar na Naomh. The people around the place go doing rounds to the […]
Tobar Eoin Baiste, Cooliska
St John’s Well, Tobar Eoin Baiste, Cooliska Still in County Limerick, today’s holy well is about seven kilometres southwest of Newcastle West in the townland of Cooliska : an Chúil Loiscthe, the burnt corner. It is large well right on the roadside, dominated by a sparkling white statue of the patron saint, St John the […]
A Grand Day Out in Dunworley
Sometimes I have not visited a well simply because it sounds as though it has long gone and there is literally nothing to see. This can be a dangerous assumption for several wells have been there when eventually visited, often covered in undergrowth but still there. I was contacted by Diarmuid a few weeks ago […]
A stray serpent, a sacred fish and elusive kneeprints: two wells dedicated to St Patrick
St Patrick’s Well, Cloncagh Just when he though he had the job done, St Patrick was visiting the church at Cloncagh, South Limerick, when what should he see but a serpent hurtling towards him! He quickly threw his prayer book at the beast and where it landed up sprung a holy well. The serpent was […]
Patrick’s Well: trees, trout & a strange mound
In search for a well for St Patrick’s Day where better to start than a townland encouragingly called Patrickswell. This one is in County Limerick which has nineteen wells dedicated to the patron saint – quite a contrast to County Cork which has only two and I have yet to come across any dedicated to […]