Wells of County Clare
Saint Anastasia's Blessed Well
There is a church beside St Anastasia's Well. The small site in the townland of Tullygarvan is surrounded by a wall. The spring has crystal clear waters and is protected by a flagstone roof.
If a person is worried, they bring their cares to the well, pray and await a response. The well can cure many ailments.
Anastasia has a feast day on December 25, Christmas. A mass takes place at the site each July, and participants take a bottle of the well water home with them.
Offerings include candles, religious statues, and floral arrangements.
Saint Brigid’s Holy Well
St Brigid’s Holy Well, also known as Dabhach Bhride, is in the townland of Ballysteen. The site has 2 parts: the upper sanctuary includes a rag tree and a graveyard, and the lower sanctuary is where a statue of the saint and the well are located.
The well offers cures for eyes, joints, and headaches.
St Brigid’s Day is February 1 and is observed at the holy well.
Offerings to the well include flowers, religious figurines, and people nearby make offerings to the rag tree.
The turas begins at the statue of the saint and visitors pray silently. Then they move to the upper sanctuary and then come back to the well completing specific prayers (see Houlihan, 2015).
Houlihan, Michael. 2015. The Holy Wells of County Clare.
St Canaoi's Well
St Canaoi's Well is near Kilkee town, County Clare, a mile or so up the west coast road leading towards Carrigholt.
The well is known for its curative properties to people's eyes and its moss has been exported to the USA for many years.
It is customary to leave mementos to loved ones who are sick or in need of help inside the well.
The well in Kilkee holds sentimental value to the contributor, Noel Frawley. He left a part of his late wife's necklace in the well around 2013 to remember her and the family who miss her.
St Colman's well
St Colman's well, or Mac Duagh’s Blessed Well, is near the townlands of Keelhilla and Teernea.
The well during an earlier time was surrounded by ferns and greenness until the trees were cut down and the ecosystem changed the climate in the area surrounding the well. The well area itself is still surrounded by trees that were recently planted, and it's a bit overgrown, but the larger area has been cut down. There are ruined walls from a 7th-century oratory. The Saint’s "Bed" is a limestone cave higher above and behind the well. The site has a bullaun stone covered in moss. The well has a rag tree that is visited by tourists. Tourists leave offerings on the rag tree. It is not an original part of the well site (see Houlihan, 2015). There's a dry-stone wall enclosure surrounding the spring with an opening to the well. There is a stone ledge over the spring were offerings are left.
The well can cure sore eyes and head ailments.
Like other wells associated with Christ, this well does not have an annual gathering now, but Saint Colman has a feast day on October 29.
Prayer rounds are done on Sundays.
Offerings include cigarette lighters, rosaries, horseshoes, stones, and religious figurines.
Houlihan, Michael. 2015. The Holy Wells of County Clare.
O’Donovan, J. and Curry E. 1839. ‘The Ordnance Survey Letters of Co Clare’,
Saint Flannan’s Blessed Well
The well is located in the townland of Drumanure in a wooded area with a stone that is said to show the saint’s footprint. It also has an ash tree known locally as "the unusual tree" and the saint's "stone bed." The well is protected by a well house.
The stone bed is where people lie down for a cure for backache. The well water is said to cure arthritis and headaches.
St. Flannan’s feast day is celebrated at the well on December 18.
Offerings include homemade shrines attached to trees at the site. The well house is ornamented with candles, lamps, religious gifts, and statues.
Inghean Bhaoith's Well
The Blessed Well of Inghean Bhaoith is in South Commons townland, and is surrounded by a low dry-stone wall. The well is in the limestone karst landscape of the Burren.This well is one of 17 dedicated to this saint.
This "well" collects rainwater and offers a cure for warts.
Her pattern day in Killinaboy is December 29th, but no one has gathered for this pattern day in ages.
Offerings include candles, religious statues, and rosary beads.
The Holy Wells of County Clare. 2015
The Cause of Ireland by Liz Curtis. Beyond the Pale Publications. (1994).
Sacred Wells A Study in the History, Meaning, and Mythology of Holy Wells and Waters
by Gary R. Varner. Algora Publishing. (2009). The Rural Poor in Clare before the Great Famine by Anne Mc Mahon. From The Other Clare. (2010). Atlas of the Great Irish Famine. Edited by John Crowley, William J. Smyth and Mike Murphy. Cork University Press. (2012) Wiilim J. Smyth p.187. The Schools' Collection (National Folklore Collection of Ireland ; 1937/38).
Saint Joseph’s Blessed Well
St Joseph's well, in the townland of Dulick, is surrounded by a cover of old trees, which creates a natural grove. There are 4 grottos with religious figurines at the entrance to the well. One of the figurines is of St. Joseph. The main well is without water due to roadwork interfering with water flow. The site has been neglected since the local hospital closed and foot traffic decreased.
The well is said to offer cures for eyes and headaches.
On August 15, the well has a local cleanup followed by an annual Mass.
Houlihan, Michael. 2015. The Holy Wells of County Clare.
St Martin's Blessed Well
At St Martin's Blessed Well in the townland of Ballynacally, there is a person-sized entrance gate that leads to the well. It is located in a tight space between Ballynacally Creek and a small rock face. There is a small Lourdes grotto at the site. The well has one opening for blessings after prayers and another opening for visitors to collect water for home use. (see Houlihan, 2015).
The well site is visited on November 11, Saint Martin’s feast-day. Martinmas is another name for the feast-day.
Offerings include candles and statues. During an earlier time there was a tradition of killing a bird or another animal and sprinkling some blood around the site for protection for the coming year (see Houlihan, 2015).
Houlihan, Michael. 2015. The Holy Wells of County Clare.
St Mochulla's Holy Well
The well, also known as St Mochuille's Well, is located to the right of the old Boy's School near the Hill of Tulla (Tulla Graveyard). There are cut-stone steps that lead down to the spring that still contains fresh water. A modern celtic cross is located at the top of the well wall. There is a stone in front of the well that bears the marks of St. Mochulla's knee. The well is marked by a large pine tree.
The well water is supposed to have a curative power for sore eyes.
Visits to the well usually take place on 23 March and 23 June.
Rosary beads are often left nearby.
St Senan’s Blessed Well
Saint Senan’s Blessed Well is in Molougha townland. Northeast of the well and east of the local graveyard is a cairn of stones.
The well can help cure sore eyes and in the past it was a cure against bots, a parasite infestation of horses.
The Saint’s feast day is March 8, but the well does not have its own pattern day.
Offerings include religious figurines and floral arrangements.
For prayer rounds, people walk east along the shore of Senan’s Lough until they return to the well.
Houlihan, Michael. 2015. The Holy Wells of County Clare.