Sacred Ireland by Jon Michael Riley Ireland1 | Page 22

Holy Wells & The Pilgrim

two plumbers who after praying at the outdoor altar, napped in
their truck. At St. Gobnait’s Well at Ballyvourney, County Cork,
I noticed a strikingly beautiful woman who accompanied her
mother and filled 7-Up bottles with water to take home. Up the
hill from the well at St. Gobnait’s Shrine, older couples slowly
o much of Irish culture and history intersect at holy
walked the prescribed rounds at the statue
wells and places of pilgrimage. It is
of the saint, the female patron saint of bees,
believed that major pilgrimage sites like
who stands on a stone beehive surrounded by
Croagh Patrick, the 2500 ft. coastal mountain
decorative and vivaious carved bees.
in County Mayo, or Station Island in County
St. Flannan’s Well near Inagh, County
Donegal’s Lough Derg, were venerated long
Clare, was difficult to find, requiring stops at
before St. Patrick. A megalithic structure was
three separate rural houses, two farms with old
found near the wind-swept summit of Croagh
farmers in wellies and tweed caps. Aditionally,
Patrick, and Lough Derg figures in early Celtic
I asked directions of 8 other people at various
mythology. Some legends have it that St.
points along the way, and eventually I found
Patrick battled with Corra, one of the Celtic
the well in a forest setting. It was evident
goddesses, in the lake itself.
that this ancient well is cared for, with fresh
Some estimates put the number
bouquets of magenta foxgloves placed next
of healing, or holy wells, at over 3000.
to the enclosed basin of clear spring water.
Although many are thought to have been
Everything there was “home made.” Religious
used since prehistoric times, most have been
figures and small icons were placed in former
Christianized with names like St. Mary’s well,
microwave oven cabinets or half-cutaway blue
St. Brigid’s or St. Joseph’s.
plastic kerosene cans. This sort of creativity
Wells seem to be a vernacular, or folk,
and recycling is most impressive and creates
approach to the divine, whether for healing,
an atmosphere of welcome and care.
cleansing or petitioning a higher power. The
The ascent of the mountain,Croagh
different kinds of wells found across Ireland
St. Brigid’s Wayside Well, Kildare
Patrick, is probably the most popular and
are enormous. Some are tidy and simple,
arduous form of pilgrimage, with thousands making the
others are rustic or flamboyant. Some clearly exhibit presteep climb to the little summit church. This type of difficult
Christian elements with magical egg stones that clearly date
pilgrimage is an example of the devotion the Irish feel for their
from times long past. Others are quite church-like and orderly.
religion and saints, particularly St. Patrick. Legend has it that
All sorts of people frequent wells and pilgrimage
Patrick spent 40 days and nights here and, among other things,
sites. For example, while visiting Tobarnalt Well, an exquisite
banished snakes from Ireland. The mountain is a dramatic
wooded park-like grove south of Sli