There’s a new blog on the scene – and it’s just the sort of thing to appeal to Roaringwater Journal readers. Holy Wells of Cork is the brainchild of Amanda Clarke. We’ve written about Amanda before – she often comes along on our adventures and she and Peter are the team behind the book Walking the Sheep’s Head Way and the website Sheep’s Head Places.
Amanda’s always been fascinated by holy wells. We’ve gone to see quite a few over the last couple of years – often a case of hunting down an obscure reference or a dot on a map. She decided that the perfect day to launch her blog was, of course, St Brigid’s Day, February 1st, and that, in order to do it properly, she should visit a St Brigid’s well on that exact day. I tagged along as the recorder.
It’s up there? And I have to go up on my knees?
St Brigid’s well, Tobar Breedy, is on private land on the side of Lough Hyne, south of Skibbereen, and Amanda had sought and been granted kind permission by the landowner to visit the site. You can read her account here – it’s all in her signature chatty style that manages to make you feel as if you’re on the adventure as well.
As a bonus, there’s a tiny ruined medieval church, also dedicated to Brigid (Templebreedy).
However, all is not well in the land of holy wells. A recent post is about four holy wells that were once the focus of veneration in Cork City. Read how they have weathered the passage of time, and be glad that she is recording them before some of them disappear from public consciousness altogether.
The first time I went to this secluded holy well in Castle Haven I was afraid to venture over the crumbling bridge. But when we returned, the bridge had been replaced. Local people are often proud of their holy wells and keep them up
Amanda will be posting regularly so go on over and sign up so you will get the updates as soon as they are on the blog. There’s lots of background information as well.
Believe it or not there’s a tiny well under all that decaying foliage
We’ve featured holy wells ourselves from time to time. One of our favourites was this time last year, just outside Ballyvourney, where we found the well of St Abán , who may have been St Gobnait’s brother.
Robert wrote about the other holy wells near Lough Hyne, one a Lady’s Well and one dedicated to curing eyesight. Last year, he attended the mass which is still said here every May.
This little well is in the middle of a small wood, with evidence it is still in use. Note the white quartz stones around it – white quartz is often found at prehistoric sites too
No doubt Amanda will record all of this properly in time. I’m looking forward to her future posts and to going along on the field trips!
I love the offerings that you see at Holy wells. Sometimes you get extras too. In the case below, St Lachtan’s Well, it’s frogspawn. Holy frogspawn, of course.
I love holy Wells, too. I will definitely check out Amada’s blog. Thanks for the tip! 😊
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How fascinating. Holy wells, and holy water – is there a connection ? is it to do with purity or something ? Cleanliness ? Water bubbling out of mother earth ? There’s something instinctive about all this, which probably pre-dates Christianity , just as the concept of holiness does. Water was probably “always” a precious commodity in the places where the great religions of the world originated. And water is now, in our own time, a terribly important issue. Maybe we should regard all water as holy in way, and look after it better. The sea is full of plastic, which our shorelines are littered with. Thus the idea of the Holy Well is in fact a global issue, in our own time, which is an idea perhaps to contemplate.
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I like that – all water is holy. Prophetic, perhaps.
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Yes, Julian: Having just spent a few days in the Jordanian desert, I can appreciate your thoughts on the ‘holiness’ of water – as the very basis of life on earth!
And best wishes to Amanda and Finola for inaugurating and publicising this interesting new blog.
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Thanks, Noreen. I know Amanda will do a superb job.
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Phew – thank you for that!! I hope I can live up to this glowing journal entry and here’s to lots of exploration in the future, just 350 wells to go now!!! I don’t think I know St Lachtan’s well – that looks interesting!
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Gosh – I knew a well that you didn’t?
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Reblogged this on West Cork History.
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My fascination too! Will follow Amanda!
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Great!
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