St John’s Well, Tobar na bhFaithní, Mushera

This large and impressive site is dedicated to a local saint, St John of Mushera. Wedged into the side of Mushera mountain, emerging from the forestry and with spectacular views down into Millstreet and beyond, it is a remarkable, unexpected and windswept spot. Each time we have been here the weather has been interesting: thick, atmospheric fog the first time, and sunshine competing with heavy hail the second! This somehow adds to the atmosphere.

This is one of three wells in the locality dedicated to the saint. Originally the well on top of Mushera Mór was considered to be the most important well, pilgrims facing a gruelling clamber to the top of the mountain to access it.

Sometime in the late 1940s, the well thoughtfully moved down the mountainside to a more convenient location:

…. eventually it was decided by local lads in the 1940s to build a timber platform at the foot of the hill, so more young people could go to the pattern on St John’s Day. Robert Kelleher of Ballinagree was the man commissioned to erect the platform, which he did. As time went on, the elements took its toll on the timber platform, so again the decision was made to put up a concrete floor there …. In the passage of time the crowds doing pilgrimage dwindled and so in 1954 a Michael Buckley of Aubane brought a picture of St John to a holy well on the Millstreet side of the mountain, known locally as Tobair Na Faithi or Well for curing warts, on the 24th June, so that people could come and pray here instead of going up the mountain.

Millstreet.ie

Today this is the well that receives most attention. Tucked into the hillside enjoying spectacular views, the site has been enlarged over the years and now comprises the well, a large shrine and stations of the cross.

The imposing shrine was added in 1958 and contains three niches containing statues and other offerings, surmounted by a large cross.

Millstreet.ie. explains how this came about:

In 1954, a man who is long since dead, Michael Buckley of Aubane bought a picture of St. John and placed it on the grotto early on St John’s Day. The late Sonny Buckley, Tullig, Millstreet who called later in the day to pay his round decided to make a timber altar to protect the picture. Even this did not seem to be enough to provide permanent protection for such a delicate object in such a windswept site. A committee mainly of people from the Aubane area was formed and a few pounds put together for the purpose of building the centre grotto, completely by voluntary labour. The altar containing the picture of St John was placed inside this stone grotto and the picture lasted until quite recently. In 1958, a statue of St John was purchased and placed in the centre grotto. Again with voluntary labour two side grottos were erected, one contained the altar with the original picture and the other an altar with a statue of the Infant of Prague. The statue of St John was blessed in 1958 by Canon Costello of Millstreet. The first Mass at the grotto was celebrated on 24th June 1974 and has been celebrated every year since.

Millstreet.ie

In the the largest shrine is the statue of St John, gowned in red robes, fresh flowers, medallions and cards at his feet, rosaries over his hands and a slightly startled expression on his face. To his left and right the two smaller shrines described above still contain the Infant of Prague, now headless, but the other now has as statue of the BVM, I couldn’t see the original picture. An assortment of letters, prayers and photos have been left by pilgrims. There are separate boxes for petitions and prayers.

In the 1980s the area enjoyed a revival and was further developed when the Stations of the Cross were erected:

The late Sonny Buckley had great faith in St John’s Well and often spoke of erecting Stations of the Cross in the vicinity of the Well. When he died in 1979, he left £500 in his will towards the erection.Many of the old committee including Sonny Buckley were then dead so a new committee was formed with the task of carrying our Sonny’s wishes. A fund was opened and it would be appropriate at this stage to pay tribute to the very large number of people who subscribed so generously, because without their help it would have been impossible to carry out the job intended. The Forestry Department was very helpful in many ways, indeed we had to have its permission to erect the Stations it the first place! The Stations were designed by Liam Cosgrove of Blackpool in Cork city, but before they could be erected a great deal of work had to be done. First fourteen concrete slabs were made in which the Stations were encased. Then the bulldozer made the ground ready and with limestone from Ballygiblin the work got under way. Voluntary labour again played a very large part with most of the building being done by John Kelleher and Brendan Kelleher. Completing the erection was no easy task because it had to be done in peoples’ spare time, however the stations were completed and all involved felt a great sense of achievement at the result.

Millstreet.ie

The well is to be found at the foot of the central shrine. It is semi circular, the water gently flowing over the rim of the basin.

It holds a cure for warts, hence the well’s alternative name Tobar na bhFaithni – Well of the Warts. Sufferers are invited, however, to use a smaller well to dip their hands in.

This story from the Schools Folklore Collection describes a different cure:

There came there a man from Co Limerick who  are cometh (?) beforehand to St John’s Well on the 24th June. He had a big lump on his face. He lodged at  Hugh Brien’s (?) on the 23rd June. He paid a round at the well. When coming down the side of the mountain he put his hand to his face and the lump was gone.  

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The main pattern day is 24th June, St John’s Day . It used to be a huge occasions with hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of tempting offerings, games and dancing taking place:

Two sisters from Millstreet, Han and Judy Murphy sat on either side of the Well “selling the water”. One of them would fill a saucepan with water from the Well and received payment for it. Pilgrims visited the Well in the morning. It was normal practice from Ballinagree and Rylane areas to visit the Well on top of the mountain in their own parish. Most other pilgrims visited the Well on the Millstreet side as is the case today. After doing the “round” they continued on to the pattern to enjoy the remainder of the day. An old character from Ballinagree, Bill O’Dea always turned up to entertain the crowd with his songs. Another man from Bawnmore, nicknamed St Joseph because of his long white beard also sang to the crowds. His real name was Lucey. Over the years the crowds got smaller at the pattern until eventually it was no longer held. The dancehalls took over at that time, but local people still come to pay their “rounds” as usual.

Millstreet.ie

Mass is still held here on this day. The traditional way of paying rounds was to say seven Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys, seven Glorias whilst kneeling in front of the well, and a decade of the rosary as the well is being circled – do this three times, ending up with another rosary in front of the well.

St John himself is said to be the brother of the three saintly sisters Lasair, Inghne Bhuide and Laitairian and it’s thought that he lived in Cullen for a while before coming to Mushera.

Like Laitairain, John may have been immune to fire. She could carry red hot embers in her apron without getting burnt and John is said to have been similarly protected – could this be something to do with the bonfires traditionally held on St John’s Eve? He shares his saint’s day, 24th June, with the better known St John the Baptist. Fires symbolise St John for he baptised Jesus and by doing so, according to the church, brought the world out of darkness. St John’s Eve is also linked to the Summer Solstice and Midsummer, and is still known as Bonfire Night in Ireland. Fires were originally lit as part of the ancient Celtic celebration in honour of the goddess Ainé, who was associated with the sun, fertility, and protection of crops and animals. As with many pagan festivals, the Catholic Church swiftly incorporated it and linked it to one of it’s own saints, on this occasion St John the Baptist. It seems appropriate to celebrate St John of Mushera on this day too.

As well as the mountain top well, there is a third well dedicated to St John. This can be found on the old Butter Road on the Kilcorney side of the mountain.

It’s right on the side of the road, a perilous place to stop but well worth it for it has its own charm and quietness and simplicity. Large slabs protect the well, and a hawthorn tree is growing up behind it. It may not receive many visitors but daffodils had been recently placed and it retains authenticity and charm and provides an interesting comparison to the razzmatazz of its brother well not so far away.

The last words go to Sonny Buckley who was so instrumental in keeping the spirit of the place alive:

St John’s Well

Oh! Mushera Mountain, how proudly you rise,
Your summit is piercing the blue of the sky
You stand like a king o’er his army at dawn
Overlooking that lovely sweet Vale of Aubane.

From the foot of this mountain a clear fountain flows,
Which was blessed by a Saint who lived long ago.
And it’s here to this fountain that thousands do throng
For to pray at the Grotto of lovely St John.

In his mantle of white, he looks from his dome
Overlooking this fountain from his wild mountain home,
While the sheep and the lambs there his company keep
By night when the rest of the world do sleep.

He is not alone and it would not be right,
For Jesus of Prague is there on his right
And just on his left and plain to be seen
Is the sweet Virgin Mary, our Heavenly Queen.

Some things are uncertain, but one thing is sure,
Those three combinations will certainly cure.
All troubles and sorrow will vanish away
Of those who will come to this Grotto to pray.

And drink of its water so sweet and so pure,
No colder on earth you will find, I am sure,
And give thanks to the Lord and the God we adore
From this beautiful Grotto at Mushera More.
Sonny Buckley

And thanks to to Denis Kelleher for alerting me to the video of the St John’s Well Committee discussing the well in 1985. It contains a wealth of information and includes Denis’s father who had built the Stations of the Cross a few years earlier.

The location of these wells can be found in the Gazetteer.