On Wells 5: Their Sacred Trees

One of the most encouraging sights to see is a lone tree in a field, one that has been carefully left to its own devices, for often under that tree is a holy well. Holy wells and sacred trees go together perfectly for, like wells, trees have long been subjects of devotion and mystery. Found together they present a powerful and striking unity.

Blessed trees tend to be identified by the name bile or bhile as Gaeilge, their presence still referred to in place names containing bill, ville and villa. In County Cork for example there is Knocakavilla near Crossbarry meaning hill of the tree. Craebh meaning branch is also a clue. This can be seen in the names of the five mythical Trees of Ireland: Bile Tortan (ash) , Navan County, Meath; Craebh Uisnig (ash) Uisneach, County Westmeath; Creabh Daithi (ash) Farbill, County Westmeath ; Eó Mughna (oak) at Bealach Mughna, now Ballaghmoon, County Kildare and Eó Rossa (yew) Old Leighlin, County Carlow. More information about these ancient trees can be found on Ali Isaac’s excellent site.

Holy & Named Trees

There are only two trees classified as holy in the Cork Archaeological Inventory, both close together and both connected to the same saint: St Cranat, also spelled Cranit or more significantly Creabhnat which contains the word craebh, or branch. In the townland of Annakissa North near Doneraile there was once a large ash tree, known as the Crannahulla  (Crann na  hUlla, Tree of the Eye) which sprang up due to a startling event. This entry from the Schools’ Folklore Collection tells the story:

In the townland of Annakisha North about two miles from Doneraile village and about six miles from Mallow there stands on the side of a by-road a very large old ash tree named Crannahulla. Long ago in Clenor castle, about a mile east from the tree, lived a beautiful girl named Saint Cranath. She was so beautiful that she was spoken of at home and abroad. A certain Munster Prince who had heard of her great beauty made up his mind to marry her. He sent his soldiers to Clenor to bring the girl to him by fair or foul means. But Cranath fled from her father’s castle when she heard that the soldiers were come for her. She travelled west in the Doneraile direction for about a mile and suddenly she understood that ’twas her great beauty was the cause of all her misfortune. She determined there and then to destroy her beauty and catching hold of one of her eyes she plucked it out and cast it on fence. Immediately a big strong ash tree sprang up in the spot where here eye had fallen. The tree is to-day in the same place. What is locally regarded as Cranath’s eye is plainly to be seen on the butt of the tree. Strangely enough moss never grows on what is known as “the eye”. In a fork of the tree is a well which never runs dry. At one time “rounds for sore eyes” used to be paid here. People have tried and have failed to burn timber from this tree. The tree stands in a very prominent position and can be seen from several places in the parish. (280/281:0327)

Another entry describes how Cranit used a branch from a tree to do the deed. Sadly the Cranahulla no longer exists, nor do the wells (it was one of those wells that moved). A rather spindly whitethorn grows on the possible site today.

Even more intriguingly, a second tree associated with the saint once stood in nearby Killuragh. In 1847 the tree was still flourishing and described by Windele as a beautiful and healthy tree, immensely large, and sacred to St. Cranit (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 3, 303). 50 years later it seems to have disappeared for its twigs were considered to be effective against shipwreck and were stripped by emigrants to keep them safe on their voyages overseas. Today nothing remains of this tree. It reminded me of St Moling’s Well, Mullenakill in County Kilkenny which once was famous for its enormous hazel tree – the well was originally called Tobar Crann Mo-Ling, or Well of Moling’s Tree. This remarkable tree was said to have  sprung up from the saint’s staff when he plunged it into the ground.

Again, bits of this tree were taken home by pilgrims as protection, this time against fire:

A strange tradition persists relating to the hazel tree at the well. People gather bits of its fallen bark to bring into their homes as protection against fires. The story goes that a man wanted some firewood during a particularly bitter winter and he felt that the hazel tree offered a good measure of possible heat despite locals telling him he must not harm the hazel tree at the well. Taking his axe, he began to chop away at the tree, but he suddenly saw his own home further down the valley on fire. He stopped chopping at the tree and returned home as fast as he could, but on arriving at his house he found that all was well and there was no fire. Again he returned to the hazel tree at the well and began to chop at the tree and again he saw his house on fire. This time he ignored it and went on chopping the wood he wanted for his fire, but when he returned to his house he found that it had indeed been burned to the ground. (Ireland’s Holy Wells Blog, 9 September 2011)

The tree is said to have regenerated many times, not necessarily the same species, and I think the current tree is an alder. The girth of the remaining trunk can still be gasped at but it has suffered and been severely lopped. The tree is now railed off as this poster explains, but it is regenerating:

Following assessment from Professional Tree Inspectors, it is their expert opinion that this tree will not survive and grow into the future unless unless the continuous stripping of fresh growth ceases to occur. Therefore this protective railing has been erected to ensure the tree continues to re-establish itself over the next number of years. While we appreciate it has been a custom going back many generations to take a twig or branch home with you we would strongly ask you not to remove any of the shoots beginning to regrow. (St Moling’s Well Committee).

There was one other sacred tree in Cork found in Kilmagoura near Newtownshandrum in North Cork. It was known as Cranavella and, unlike the trees associated with St Cranit, is marked in its own right on the historic OS maps. Interestingly the accompanying holy well is not. Could this name be interpreted as crann a bile –  an especially holy tree?

The tree was said to have grown over a well which became offended when a woman washed her clothes in it. The well dried up and moved to nearby Newtownshandrum. where it just about remains but in a very neglected state.The tree was still standing in the 1930s but there is no sign of it today.

Another named tree  was the Biddy Tree just outside Buttevant. This was an ash tree which grew over St Bridget’s Well. Colonel Grove White describes it in 1908:

The well was much frequented by the peasantry on St Bridget’s Day (Ist February) for cures of all kinds of disease and pain. They ‘pay round’s at the well, drink the water and leave a token in honour of the saint, such as a piece of strong, cloth etc tied to the ash tree overhanging the well. 

The wood from this tree was said to never burn, and of course the water from the well would never boil. The tree had its own potency and did not like to be disrespected as this story, also told to Grove White, demonstrates:

Mrs. M. Sullivan related the following to me: A Protestant policeman with a comrade walked out from Churchtown, where they were stationed. When they came to “Biddy’s Tree” the policeman amused himself by swinging backwards and forwards on a limb of the ash tree over the holy well.  When he arrived at his quarters in Churchtown he was seized with violent pains in his limbs, from which he died about six months after-wards. He was a County Galway man.

There seem to be several morals in that story! Sadly the tree blew down in a storm in 1973 though the well survives and is still active.

A tree likened to the ash described above once grew over Tubber Caogh, or Well of the Blind:

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 Vol III p80)

This tree has also vanished though a whitehorn has sprung up marking the place of the well which may survive under all the undergrowth, it was impossible to actually get to.

Saints sometimes caused trees to spring up in less dramatic ways than St Cranit, usually by plunging their staff into the ground, as already described at St Moling’s Well. The Bachall Íosa or Isú, Well of the Staff of Jesus,  in Farthingville has interesting credentials:

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.(Schools’ Folklore Collection, 350:0367)

Today the well is dry but a multi-trunked hawthorn still marks the spot.

In  Aghabullogue St Olan accidentally seems to have caused a tree to spring up over an existing well:

… It is usual to take home some water from the well. When the summer’s are very hot and the well dries up people take away a piece of the bark of the tree near the well. This tree is supposed to have been planted by St Olan himself. It is said he was minding cows near the well and had in his hand a stick for driving the cows. He stuck it beside the well and it is from that twig that the famous tree was growing until a few years ago … When it fell another tree grew up in its place and it is to be seen on top of the well now, Some neighbours took some of it to burn but they had no luck with their cattle. They took no more and it can still be seen at the back of the well. (322/323:0343)

Interesting to read that bark from this tree was also sought by pilgrims.The original ash was ordered to be cut down by the parish priest around the 1840s, probably one of those who was: inclining very much to Protestant notions … putting an end to all these venerable old customs, as noted by John O Donovan in his Ordnance Survey Letters (1834-1841). A  whitethorn tree now flourishes behind the well, exuberant and unruly.

Big trees

Some large and imposing trees still remain, impressive in their own right. This enormous beech tree is in Ballykerwick and once stood over a well dedicated to St Lachteen, the water originally emerging from under the tree. The well was offended by someone washing their clothes in it, dried up and moved to nearby Grenagh. The massive tree remains, slowly absorbing the scattered stone remains of the well house into its roots and trunk. The well still flourishes in its new site, and a large whitethorn now grows over it.

Other big trees remain strong and powerful, impressive testaments to their age and sanctity. These two trees have embraced the walls of their respective wells. The well on the left is is St Bridget’s Well in Britway with its large beech tree and the other is Lady’s Well near Cloyne with its mighty ash tree.

Some wells are even in trees. Another well that was offended by all that ill advised washing of clothes is in Ballydeloughy. The original well dedicated to St Catherine lay in the graveyard  – an odd place for washing by anyone’s standards. It moved and sprang up in a cranny in the trunk of an ash tree a few hundred metres away. It’s still there today but tricky to find. The water is said to never go dry.

The message here is clear – do not upset wells and treat sacred trees with respect. It seems to have been fine to take a twig for spiritual purposes but to take a branch or try to cut down a tree for practical purpose and things could all go horribly wrong as as this story illustrates:

One time there was a family living over on the other side of the hill and two of them set out to cut down the tree that was growing over the well. When they looked over at their house they saw it was on fire so they went to quench the fire and to their surprise the house was not on fire. They went a second time to cut the tree and the same thing occurred. Then the men said ‘We do not care about the house’ so they went for a third time and when they returned their house was burnt to the ground. (Schools’ Folklore Collection, 0315:107)

The tree in question was a yew in the townland of Roughgrove near Bandon and the well it guarded was known as Tobar an Euban, Well of the Yew. Today there is no sign of the tree amidst a jungle of undergrowth though this water tank may mark the spot of the well.

Rag Trees

One of the most noticeable trees to be found near holy wells are rag trees. These are often whitethorn (also known as hawthorns), a tree long associated with the good people or fairies.  Some of these trees are considered blessed in their own right but many have become so through association with a well. Often, on completing the rounds at a well, it was customary to leave a rag on a bush or tree as a token of respect.

Rags were also used in healing, the rag being rubbed on an afflicted area of the body then tied to the trees. As the rag disintegrated so did the affliction, the tree absorbing the ailment. The four pronged birch (?)  growing above Tobarain na Súl, the Little Eye Well near Lough Hyne only sprung up behind the well in the last 30 years but has become a potent symbol, with its colourful adornments. (This well and its tree suffered in Storm Ophelia but the site is now cleared and the trees remain).

Rag trees are always an evocative and moving sight. Traditionally the rags left were red or white but today all sorts of eclectic offerings can be found, reflecting what pilgrims had upon them.

Although many ancient trees may have disappeared others flourish and the well and the tree remain companions. In 1963 AT Lucas published The Sacred Trees of Ireland, a transcription of which appeared in the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal (2016) and is now available online. It makes for very interesting reading but most relevant to this blog was his study of 210 wells in County Cork and their attendant trees. His survey recorded 103 whitethorns, 75 ash, 7 oak, 6 willow, 6 elder, 5 holly, 4 rowan, 3 alder, 2 elm, 1 yew and 1 fir. What jumps out is the number of ash trees. I wish I had been more diligent in recording trees when I visited wells but these are the number of significant trees that I noted: 28 rag trees, mainly whitethorn; 3 elm; 1 fuchsia;1 lime; 1 birch; 8 ash; 2 fir; 1 sycamore and 7 beech.

And my favourite tree of all – the magnificent rag tree at St Inghne Bhuide’s holy well, Dromtariffe, a remarkable sight.