Trees, Saints, Cats & Cake: well hunting North Cork

This cluster of wells was on my list last time we were in North Cork but had to be postponed as the weather was just too hot! The heatwave having abated I dropped Himself off in Ballyvourney as he tackled the last leg of the Slí Gaeltacht Mhúscrai, also postponed due to heat. We arranged to meet up in Millstreet in the early evening and I headed off towards Newtownshandrum. The day proved to be a little underwhelming on wells but excellent in the meeting of generous people. There also seemed to be an awful lot of cattle crossing roads.

First stop was in search of St Baoithin’s Well near Freemount.

St Baoithin’s Well, Toberbweenheen

The well seemed to lie in the middle of fields behind a farm. I drove up the long boreen towards the farmhouse and was greeted by Dora. What a lovely lady, she insisted on taking me to the well and was full of information. The well lay behind the farm – she pointed out Church Field and the graveyard up on the hill, Knawhill. She said pilgrims would process along the ridge, go to the cemetery and then down to the well, having first asked permission from the old lady who once owned the land.

The well lay in a ditch, marked by an imposing sycamore tree above it.

At first sight there was nothing visible, just nettles and briars. But Dora announced having come all this way we may as well plunge through the nettles and get down a bit closer to see if there was any water within.

There was – quite a lot of it and we nearly got stuck! Originally it seems there were two wells:

In pasture, on SE-facing slope, c. 70m SSW of early ecclesiastical enclosure (13885). Two wells indicated side by side on 1842 OS 6-inch map but only one survives. Well and surrounding area overgrown and wet; low earthen bank defines N and E sides (L 1.5m). No longer in holy use. Dedicated, according to Bowman (1934, 617), to St Baoithin where ‘Rounds are still paid on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the month of May. On 22nd May, however, one visit is all that is required.

Archaeological Inventory County Cork

This could still be the case for the whole area in front of and on each side of the tree was very wet. However there is only one well is marked on the Cassini 6 inch and the historic 25 inch maps.

A short excerpt from the Schools’ Folklore Collection gives a little more information:

There is a holy well in Knahill and it would cure any disease. You would not be cured except you would pay three rounds and carry some vessel with you and leave it at the well after you. 

SFC: 398:0365

The well may be overgrown but it’s certainly not forgotten, Dora always says a prayer or crosses herself when near it and it was talked of with respect and affection.

Having  managed to haul ourselves out of the nettles, Dora then kindly took me back into her kitchen and fed me tea and cake. Very much appreciated. Her son Jimmy was also there. He could remember having cleared around the well a few years ago, discovering pieces of pottery and rags – perhaps the remains of some of the vessels mentioned above. There was talk of renovating the well and allowing people access as in the old days, but both mentioned the prohibitive cost of insurance.

But who was St Baoithin – pronounced in a a way I hadn’t imagined but very close to the name on the historic OS maps: Toberbweenheen. It seems there are several saints with this name, the most well known being a disciple of the great Columcille who also ended up in Iona with his master. This Baoithin even shared the same feast day as Columcille, 9th June. However this doesn’t seem to correspond with the 22nd May mentioned in the Archaeological Inventory – this is the feast day of Baithin mac Findech (St Baithéne mac Brénaid), or Baoithin of Ennisboyne,  and his feast day is the 22 May, so I suspect this is our man. He is most remembered in Wexford where Ennisboyne means Inis Baoithín – island of Baoithin. 

A rather odd story in the Schools’ Folklore Collection refers directly to Baoithin and his meeting with St Patrick at this well:

 ….  After this the Apostle (Patrick) came to Tullylease with his disciple, Benen, and thence he directed his steps south-east, to a place called Knawhill ( Cnamb Fuil: bones and blood ) overhanging where Liscarroll now is, where an anchorite named Baoithin then had his well. When Baoithin saw St Patrick and his companions coming towards him whether out of humility or churlishness, he raised the flag which answered as a door to the cell and stood behind (it), thus shading himself from view of the Apostle. St Patrick, who did not relish such a reception, but understood its import, turned away, saying, I understand you Baoithin, and a I will leave you there. Your fame ( for hospitality ) will go abroad. Tubberweekeen (Tobar Baoithin, Baothin Well ) is there still, but there is no trace of his hermitage.

SFC:580-582:0341

I decided to pay it a visit to the cemetery, described as an ecclesiastical enclosure, for the well was no doubt connected in some way. Dora offered to lead the way in her car. We first stopped to inspect a spirit hole at the side of a bridge. One look down there and you could reappear somewhere totally different apparently!

Dora dropped me off at Knawhill – what a delight to meet her. I felt restored by her energy and enthusiasm. The cemetery (CO006-096001) was old and interesting with spectacular views in all directions, the well just 70m away. A church may once have been within, all traces now gone – maybe this is where St Baoithin had his hermitage?

Edit: A little more connections have been made regarding St Baoithin’s Well. It seems that once a woman washed her feet in this well and it removed to what is now Lady’s Well, Rockspring. The tree remained to mark the original spot and once had a niche that collected water which never ran dry. I missed that! The well was said to hold a cure for sore eyes.

Bachall Íosa, Baghuleesa, Staff of Jesus Holy Well

Next stop was in search for the intriguingly named Bachall Íosa, Baghuleesa on the historic maps. The Bachall Íosa was the Staff of Jesus, supposedly handed to St Patrick by a hermit on a Mediterranean Island sometime before he began his mission to Ireland. The hermit had been given the staff by Jesus who had foreseen the arrival of Patrick. St Bernard of Clairvaux described the staff as: covered with gold and adorned with the most costly gems. It was considered a national relic of huge importance but was destroyed during the Reformation under Henry VIII. Colonel Grove White has some information:

There are two holy wells in the neighbourhood, one at Farthingville, in N. W. corner of townland, and the other at Cloonleagh. The first is called Baghulessa, or Staff of Jesus. The local tradition about this and other Holy Wells, is their springing up miraculously wherever the Staff of Jesus was inserted. According to the Roman Breviary, which gives us a short biography of St. Celsus, who was Primate of all Ireland, this illustrious prelate in the discharge of his sacred functions, was accustomed to travel throughout Ireland. It was during his primacy that the country was divided into dioceses in an organised form, and very similar to what they are at the present day. He was made Primate by the unanimous acclamation of bishops, priests and people, before he had attained his thirtieth year. He died at Ardpatrick. His body was brought to Brigown, now Mitchelstown, where it remained for the veneration of the people for a short time and was finally buried at Lismore in 1080. According to the Roman Breviary, St. Celsus had the Baculus Jesu, or Staff of Jesus, which was a part of the crozier handed down from St. Patrick to his successors. 

Grove White: Historical & Topological Notes etc Vol III

An entry in the Schools’ Folklore Collection has a slightly different version of events:

Although the name of this sacred spot is not widely known, it is frequented by pilgrims at all seasons of the year. There is a tradition that St Patrick before returning to Ireland, to preach the Christian Faith, paid a visit to Rome. The Holy Father was impressed by the sanctity and zeal of the young missionary, so much so, that he presented him with the Staff of Our Saviour. The latter had a spear point and it is said that when St. Patrick drove it into the ground before preaching a spring of pure water gushed forth. Hence the name ‘Boughal Íosa’ which signifies club or staff of Jesus. St Patrick is supposed to have passed through this locality on his way to Ardpatrick. The well was desecrated on one occasion, by washing clothes in it. It closed or rather dried up, and the spring gushed forth in another part of the same farm. The well is shown on Ordnance Survey Map. It is indeed a shame that the hallowed spot, with such a history should be so sadly neglected in those days of the twentieth century progress and religious freedom.

SFC: 350:0367

Maybe St Patrick came here after disturbing Baoithin at Knawhill on his way to Ardpatrick in County Limerick.

I asked directions at a house. Two young lads answered the door – they pointed across a couple of fields to a tree – that’s where I needed to go. I followed instructions and parked. A small bridge spanned the road, a stone stile leading down – always a good sign.

The tree the lads had pointed out seemed to marked the well itself – a flourishing hawthorn, multi-trunked.

A jumble of stones around its base was all that remained of any possible structure. There was no sign of any water either, though a stream ran close by. The well was once visited in May and Good Friday, the water said to hold a cure for stomach upsets and sore eyes.

The Main Manuscript of the Folklore Collection contains more information, gathered on 10th June 1934 by Daniel Hishon from the informant Daniel Wall. He describes how most pilgrims visited during the month of May. Three rounds were required and 5 decades of the rosary were recited whilst performing each round. A drink of the water was taken after each round. He describes how holy pictures statues and medals adorned a nearby whitethorn. (MM:0296:0466)

Edit: This may not be the site of the well. I have had information that the well exists and is cared for my the landowner so a return visit it required. (May 23)

Edit: I managed to revisit Farthingville in October 2024 and was thrilled to finally find the original well – further on into the field than I had originally thought. It is in a clump of trees, a small gate announcing its presence.

Opening the gate, a series of concrete steps lead down to the attractive wellhouse, a small cup placed hopefully in front ot he well.

The water is fresh, clear and cold though with a smattering of leaves.

Whilst we were investigating the well, Declan arrived to see what we were up to. He turned out to be the son of the landowner and was so helpful and gave us a little more useful information. Apparently by the late 1980s the site was seriously overgrown and his father had decided to clear and landscape the area. He built the wellhouse, constructed the steps and put in the gate. He also planted the area with protective trees, mostly conifers though three hawthorns are now flourishing directly above the well. The well was then reconsecrated by the parish priest. The well may not get many visitors todays but it still acknowledged and maintained by the Finn family. I was thrilled to find it.

St Sinnade’s Well, Toberlenade

On to Newtownshandrum. I had tried to find this well before but rain had called off play and it had proved exceptionally difficult to locate. Today I stopped a man on his bike who I hoped was a local. He was but he had never heard of a well but showing him the map, he thought he knew whose land it lay on. I needed to find Mr Kelleher, the farmer. The task looked tricky. I wandered along the street and saw two men having a discussion, car by car. I asked for help. They were much amused and who should one be but Mr Kelleher, Seamus! I don’t think the well had had many visitors for a good few years but Seamus offered to take me to it. We trampled across a boggy field, named the Blessed Well Field, cattle in one corner. The well was instantly recognisable, a little green hummock.

We wandered closer. The area surrounding the well was exceptionally wet, even though we were just recovering from a drought. Seamus said that in the winter it was almost impossible to get into the field it was so wet. A faint beehive shape could be discerned under the mantle of green but it was severely dilapidated. Nothing much resembled the description in the Archaeological Inventory:

In pasture, on E side of field fence. Well lined with wall of stone and cement. Wall built up on one side to encase flat unmarked slab. Metal cross mounted on top of wall. According to local information, ‘visited in May and associated with Our Lady. Local tradition that well moved to here from its original site at Crannavella Tree (14044) c. 1.4km to SW following use of well water for washing. Dunworth (1989, 51) names it ‘Tobarineid that is St Sinnades well’ and noted that it ‘contained a cure for eye complaints and in the old days people with sore eyes used to come to it from far and near.’ He (ibid.) also noted that it had a ‘pattern day’ but does not give a date.

Seamus though the cross had vanished maybe 30 years ago when veneration of the well had died out.

The well once held a cure for sore eyes. I joked that the cattle must be very healthy and Seamus told me that during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001, all cattle in the surrounding area had succumbed apart from those in this field!

There had been talk of restoring the well but again the cost of insurance was proving too prohibitive.

Another well which seems to have a multitude of names, it is marked as Toberlenade on the historic maps, currently known as St Sinnade’s, (possibly a corruption of Leonard), with suggested references to the BVM.  I can find no information about a St Sinnade.

This well was originally sited in Kilmagoura, just under a kilometre and half away. It moved due to having been disrespected by domestic chores performed within. There is no trace of the original well but it had the distinction of being marked by a holy tree – Crannavella Tree, which sprang up after the well moved. Sadly this tree has since fallen. I went to investigate but the day was drawing to a close and the farm was extensive and deserted, with a melancholy air for the farmer was only recently deceased. I didn’t linger.

Crannavella seems to originate from crann meaning tree and bile meaning sacred tree and it is clearly marked on the historic maps. It is in the same field as a cilleen and possible ruins of an old church. I was probably wise not to venture into the unknown for the area has a fierce guardian as this rather muddles extract describes: :

Kilmagoura is a townland in the parish of Shandrum. There are the remains of a churchyard in Mr Keane’s Lane. There is an old tree in the fields. It is called Crann a Valla. A lot of people come to see it. There is an old graveyard where Robert Keane now lives. It is said that it was protestants were buried there. There are headstones there which can be seen at the present day in Killmagoura. hidden away there. All huge huge black cat stands over it. Anyone that went to try for it they were hunted by the black cat.

Well of the Blind, Tobar Caogh, Toberleigh

On to the final well and the second one mentioned in the first extract by Grove White: the Well of the Blind, Tobar Caogh:

The Holy Well at Cloonleagh is called Tubber Caogh and is in the property of Mr. Michael Rahilly who happily takes special care to preserve such a link with the past. The water is beautiful and clear as crystal, and a beautiful old tree grows over the well, not inferior in point of size to Biddy’s tree near Buttevant.

Grove White: Historical & Topological Notes Etc Vol III

I nearly didn’t make it to this well for it was getting late and I was tired, but I persevered and the tree was instantly recognisable in the landscape though a lot less impressive than in Grove White’s day.

The shape of the well is clearly defined by the circular patch of nettles and briars. There are remnants of stone amongst the undergrowth but according to the Archaeological Inventory the west and southern side of the well were formed by the roots of the tree. It also sounds as though it was in a fulacht fiadh:

In pasture. Horseshoe-shaped spring well (4m N-S; 3.1m E-W; D 1.6m) with tree on W side whose roots form W and S sides of well. Used by farm animals. Probably same well as ‘Tubber Caogh’ which, according to Grove White (1905-25, vol. 3, 80), was a holy well.

Archaeological Inventory, County Cork

I couldn’t get close but could see that water was still amongst the roots and there was a fine crop of watercress.

Tobar Caogh means Well of the Blind  and I assume that that refers to a cure for sore eyes. It is called Toberleagh on the historic maps, which may refer to the townland it is in Cloonleagh – cluain liath, grey meadow. The well looked a little sorrowful but was still surviving. The digital globe view of the well shows how it has been clearly respected and left unmolested in the field.

Incidentally Biddy’s Tree mentioned by Grove White sadly no longer exists.

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

Many thanks to Dora and Jimmy for the information and visit to St Baoithin’s Well, and for tea and cakes. And to Seamus for taking time to show me St Sinnade’s Well.

Thanks also to Declan Finn for the information about Bachall Íosa.