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 few random pebbles I wasn’t expecting very much to remain of St Stephen’s Well. In fact I found nothing but a housing development – buildings being erected right where the well seemed to be.

Green pastures lay behind and it’s possible that the well could the be hiding in the ditch amongst all the rubble but I was unable to get any closer to investigate. Interestingly, looking at the old maps, the path that now leads to the housing estate originally lead only to the well.

I asked the builders if they might have come across a well but they knew nothing about it. I conceded defeat. There was an unexpected and rather fine grotto at the entrance to the estate, I wonder if there was any connection. It was erected in the Marian Year of 1987.

Sunday’s Well Carrignavar

A longish detour next down narrow roads west towards Carrignavar in search of a well I had tried to find once before but failed. Named as Sunday’s Well on the 25inch and Cassini maps, but Lady’s Well on the 6 inch, I had a feeling it was still there. Carrignavar is now officially my favourite place in County Cork with the most friendly and helpful inhabitants anywhere! At one point I reckon I had at least 10 people on their mobile phones all determined to help me find the elusive well. First stop the local shop and although the young girl knew nothing about the well summoned someone who might. She didn’t but suggested I wait until the Post Office was open for the lady within would know. The young girl then nodded to an older man innocently doing his shopping, he might know, He thought he did and gave me instructions which sort of corresponded with my GPS – he asked me to say a prayer for him if I found it! I decided to still wait and see what the lady in the Post Office had to say and enjoyed an excellent coffee and cheese sandwich whilst waiting for her to open. In the end she didn’t know of the well but the phone was out and whoever was on the other line did and gave instructions. It would be hard to find apparently but it was still there and it looked like the elderly man was right. Still with me?

I headed off out of the village looking for the sharp bend past the creamery and the turn left. I found myself down a small road, ending up by a little bridge and a sparkling river. Two men were innocently enjoying their lunch in a van. After a bit of a discussion and much pondering out came the phones! Someone knew where it was and was on red alert at the church ready to take me but before I could accept his offer,Tom was flagged down in his car. He not only knew where the well was but was prepared to take me in convoy, I leapt in my car and followed him. By the time we arrived at the site he had the landowner on the phone who gave me clear instructions how to find the well – just mind the cattle and the electric fences.

There were cattle and they were young and curious, and there were electric fences but the walk down towards the little wooded copse was very pleasant and the landowner’s instructions precise.

The first glimpse of the well was exciting, a little green hump with a flat-topped stone sticking out of the top.

Coming round to the front and it was even more appealing.

The mound was a beehive-shaped wellhouse made out of chunky stones, now pretty much swamped with ivy and ferns. The single stone was a magnificent slab, carved with a highly  evocative crucifixion.

 

The well lay below, currently dry.  A quartz stone was wedged into a rough ledge, along with a plastic bottle.

The area around the well was dense with vegetation, but I could feel lumps and bumps of other stones underfoot. Behind the well, a large flat rock looked like a possible Mass Rock.

What a wonderful and secretive site. I could have stayed longer, just sitting and contemplating but I wend my way back across the fields. As I did so I saw a figure coming towards me. It was the landowner, Mike, who thought he had better come and see what I was up to. What a lovely man. We got talking and we decided to return to the well so he could he tell me more about it.

It was clear he loved the spot, He talked about how, when the sun was shining, it would light up the glen and literally illuminate the well. He recalled how the well was special to his parents who would visit frequently. They enjoyed just sitting on the rock behind the well, admiring the view, taking in the peace. He wished he had listened more when they talked about the well for  information passed with them. I think we all wish that about our parents.

Mass was once held here frequently but was last held in 2011 in remembrance of Mick’s mother who had so loved it here. He described how the area had been especially cleared and tidied and how the priest had conducted Mass for a congregation clustered in front of the well.

Mike said the water was usually flowing but after the very dry summer had yet to recover. It  was said to contain a cure for lameness, at least he knew of someone in the family who had recovered the use of their legs and abandoned their crutches after visiting the well. He showed me how to revere the well – the quartz stone tucked into the ledge used for inscribing the cross on the figure whilst prayers were said.

A cross below the crucifixion slab, which I had initially missed, was also inscribed.

I promised to find out more about this intriguing well but frustratingly have not been able to find out very much. The every reliable Colonel Grove White did not venture out this far west and there are no entries referring to it in the Schools’ Folklore. It seems strange that such an interesting carving should go unremarked. We were both a little reluctant to leave such a peaceful spot but as we walked back to the car I marvelled on the gems to be found hidden away and on the kindness of the people of Carrignavar.

The Virgin’s Little Well, Tobairin Mhuire, Ballybrack

I then accidentally went to a well I’ve been to before but love: the Virgin’s Little Well. It was getting a spring clean and it was nice to be re-acquainted!

St Michael’s Well, Ballybrack

I failed to find St Michael’s Well which lay in the same townland. I think exhaustion must have been setting in for I can remember nothing about the search for it nor the area it was in but looking at my notes it seems I asked two locals for information (they knew nothing) and attempted to get into a field!  Judging by the School’s Folklore entry, the well has not been revered for many years:

Situation – Ballybrack side of stream separating Ardnagorhee from Ballybrack, about 100 yds from public road Glenville to Watergrasshill opposite Kennedy’s or Killuntin Cross.
Date – No special date now or at no time within living memory.
Purpose – It used to be frequented by people with eye trouble, especially people on Limerick border. Some people from that side used come here up to recently. No notice taken of it by local people. (150:0382)

I did manage one more well but it was exceptional and will be described in the next blog. Time to repair to my airbnb, a very pleasant Georgian manse in Fermoy.

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

Huge thanks to everyone who gave me assistance in Carrignavar, especially Mike, Tom, Stevie and Rickie.