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 […]
St John the Baptist
North Kerry Escapade Part 2
The second part of our day trip around the tip of North Kerry and refreshed with a bowl of soup in a supermarket somewhere rural, we paid a quick visit to Lislaughtin Abbey. It has seen better days but even in a derelict state it was apparent how fine it must once have been. The […]
Two wells on the Kerry/Limerick border
Finding ourselves tootling along the Kerry/Limerick border it seemed rude not to pop over and check out St Mary’s Well in Athea. Mary’s Well, Tobermurry, Athea The well is on the side of the road, instantly recognisable by the three statues looming over the wall. However this is not it’s original position – it moved […]
Some Favourite Wells of 2018
It’s been a good year for well hunting, worthy of a quick round up of some of my favourite sites. I reckon I have visited around 150 or so holy wells in the last twelve months, all unique and all in different states of preservation, activity and care. Although most wells are to be found […]
On Wells 3: Saints & Sinners
All holy wells hold a capacity for healing. As far as I can ascertain, there some subtle distinctions between them: a Blessed Well, Tobar Beannaithe, holds a cure – often for sore eye or warts while Tobar Slanán, a health giving well, as the name suggest, contains water that is good for you and may or […]
St John’s Well, Minard, Kerry
A few days on the Dingle Peninsula and what does one do with a bit of spare time – why visit a holy well of course. First we had a quick mooch around Dingle in the sunshine, admiring the many quirky doors and colour schemes. Then it was on to Minard, via Annascaul and its […]