There are some very interesting saints encountered when pursuing holy wells in the south west of Ireland and one of my favourites is St Brendan, usually known as the Navigator. His feast day is coming up on the 16th May so it seems timely to explore his life story which can be traced via holy wells in counties Cork and Kerry, with occasional sorties elsewhere
St Erc
A Decade in the Field
Unbelievably is seems that ten years have passed since I first ventured out, rather naively it has to be said, on my quest to visit and record the state of the holy wells in County Cork. My original motives were curiosity and a desire to see a bit more of the county, a good project for my recent retirement. I hadn’t really thought it through and wasn’t expecting to be so entranced and absorbed by my peregrination. When I set out I knew very little about the traditions or folklore surrounding holy wells nor about the attendant rituals and etiquette. I’ve had my eyes opened in all respects. These are a few of my experiences.
A mysterious well at the end of the world – St Erc, Kerry Head
I have unsuccessfully tried to find St Erc’s Well on two previous occasion and written about my first experience here. It has played on my mind however, and another trip to North Kerry in the company of Himself and Finola from Roaringwater Journal, provided an opportunity for a third, and hopefully, fruitful exploration. St Erc’s […]
The Good, the Mad and the Strange: a round up of 2019
A quick round up of some of the more intriguing wells visited in 2019. It’s been a busy year for I officially completed my research on the holy wells in County Cork: 310 wells visited and recorded, and then ventured forth into County Kerry. A long visit to New Zealand followed by a horrible bout […]
The Holy Girl & the Wayward Boys: St Dahalin’s Well, Kerry Head
Once upon a time there was a holy girl who founded a small religious cell for women on the green slopes of Kerry Head. Here she passed her time in contemplation and general goodness. Some wayward boys decided to cause havoc and set out to either abduct her or make mischief. The holy girl was […]
St Macadaw’s Well, Kerry Head: yet to be discovered
Kerry Head is a tiny peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic, the very limit of North Kerry. It is incredibly scenic and remote but home to several interesting holy wells. Today’s destination was St Macadaw’s church and holy well in the townland of Glenderry, a place of much folklore and tradition connected with one particular […]