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 […]
St Michael
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 […]
Causing havoc in Carrignavar!
Back in County Cork and I’m now on the trail of 15 obscure holy wells located on each side of the M8 heading towards Fermoy. I’m to the west of the motorway today and my first stop is near Watergrasshill. St Stephen’s Well Described by the Archaeological Inventory as a hollow in the ground with […]
A brief encounter …
… But what an enjoyable one. I’m in Kerry collecting Himself who has just completed the Sli Chorca Dhuibhne – excellent walking though the weather was sometimes a little challenging. Whilst he finishes some drawings I go off to explore for I know there’s a well in the townland in which we’re staying near Ceann […]
Island Wells 3: Bere Island: An tOileán Mór
It’s always a pleasure to visit one of the islands off the coast of Cork, and each of the seven inhabited islands have a very distinct personality of their own. Today I was off to Bere island, An tOileán Mor (the big island); a short ferry trip from Castletownbere. Castletownbere was in a bit of […]
Four Curious Wells enroute to Allihies
Two days exploring the remote and scenic tip of the Beara Peninsula and some very curious wells discovered. Kilaconenagh Holy Wells, near Castletownbere The weather on day one was not promising – thick fog and a steady mizzle. We persevered however and the first well stop was just outside Castletownbere. The GPS led us down […]