I don’t know what the situation is in other counties but Cork and Kerry seem to have a fondness for holy lakes. In County Cork for example, the entire Lake at Gougane Barra was once considered sacred for it was here that St Finbarr wrestled with the resident water serpent, Tú, and of course won. […]
rag tree
Sunday’s Well, Lisloose: A Cautionary Tale
An unexpected meeting with fellow holy well enthusiast Gail Tangney led to an enjoyable whizz around Tralee inspecting three wells. First we had an excellent coffee and bun in the wonderful Madden’s coffee shop. It was even Infant of (Pride) Prague themed! Refreshed we leapt in our cars and headed to Lisloose. Sunday’s Well, Tobar […]
In Plain Sight: Two Wells in An Daingean
Not all holy wells are in remote and scenic spots, some are hidden in plain sight in towns and can take as much finding as their rural cousins. St John’s Well, Tobar Eoin, Dingle town I had looked for this well many times before. I knew the well itself was no longer visible and that […]
St Kevin’s Holy Well, Glendalough
Enjoying a few days in County Wicklow, we visited the magical site that is Glendalough. A place of outstanding natural beauty, it comprises a lush valley, surrounded by mountains and two lakes, the perfect place for a wild hike – or a hermitage. It is also rich in an incredible variety of historic and religious […]
Holy Fish, Faction Fighting & some Meandering
Who knew an innocent paragraph could lead down so many different paths and involve so much detective work and strange stories! Browsing through Sacred Waters, I came across an intriguing reference to a holy lake in County Cork that I had not yet come across: … the sacred lake of Loughadrine (Cork) which cured all […]
St Finbarr Revisited & some thoughts on conservation
I am finally back in Ireland having spent six months in New Zealand, four months longer than intended due to Covid-19! The virus continues to restrict movements so I decided to revisit two holy wells close to home and see how they were faring. Last time I visited was in 2016 and both wells, both […]