Finally back in County Kerry and in search of a holy well that has long intrigued me: All Saints’ Well, Tobar na Naomh near Loo Bridge, Kilgarvan. This is the folklore that enticed me: There is a well at Loo Bridge called Tobar na Naomh. The people around the place go doing rounds to the […]
Gougane Barra
Trout & Tussocks: the Strangeness of Holy Lakes
I don’t know what the situation is in other counties but Cork and Kerry seem to have a fondness for holy lakes. In County Cork for example, the entire Lake at Gougane Barra was once considered sacred for it was here that St Finbarr wrestled with the resident water serpent, Tú, and of course won. […]
On Wells 4: Pilgrimage, Partying & Paying the Rounds
You can of course visit a holy well any day of the week but there are certain times when a visit is considered to be especially potent. The main day for visiting a well is the pattern day or pátrún day, usually celebrated on the patron saint’s feast day. St John’s wells are visited on […]
On Wells 3: Saints & Sinners
All holy wells hold a capacity for healing. As far as I can ascertain, there some subtle distinctions between them: a Blessed Well, Tobar Beannaithe, holds a cure – often for sore eye or warts while Tobar Slanán, a health giving well, as the name suggest, contains water that is good for you and may or […]
On Wells 2: the Water & the Cure
The most significant thing about a holy well is of course the water. Not all wells are wells though, they can be springs, lakes, scoops in rock, ponds, hollows in trees or part of a stream. And not all wells now contain water – 37 holy wells visited were dry. Hopefully a few of those […]
Gadding around Glanmire
If you remember I had collapsed in my very comfortable airbnb only to be told that the local history expert was on his way to give me a few tips. John was delightful, someone who had lived in the Glanmire area for most of his life and who was a treasure trove of local information […]