3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well is half a mile north of the town, close to the old road leading to the Knockmealdown Mountains, which is now a shortcut to Mount Melleray (Broderick 2016: 53). There are flagstones covered in lichen nearby.
4 Cure
It is not specified, but is believed to be holy water, due to a nearby apparition of Mary.
5 Pattern day
The pattern day was on September 8th but pilgrimage is no longer taking place in the same fashion.
6 Offerings
No offerings are noted at this time.
7 Prayer rounds and stations
The pilgrims used to make rounds reciting the rosary.
8 Stories
It used to be a place of singular veneration for the local people, and many in the town no longer know that it exists. There is a poem included in Broderick’s account.
9 Publications
Broderick, Eugene. 2016. Patterns and Patrons: The Holy Wells of Waterford. 53.
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well is surrounded by a well kept, white and blue shrine. There's a stone fence around a well house with a large figurine in the middle.
5 Pattern day
"An annual Mass and devotions on the days around August 15th bring large attendances every year" (Houlihan 2015:55).
8 Stories
"Tremendous local efforts at this shrine have preserved an old Mass Rock and provided shelters on site for those visiting the well" (Houlihan 2015:55).
9 Publications
Houlihan, Michael. The Holy Wells of County Clare. 2015. Castleisland, Co. Kerry: Walsh Colour Print.
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well is located at the back of a car park behind the Killarney town hall and down a few steps. The well has a turret style superstructure with a slate roof. A sign notes that it has been a place of pilgrimage since 1302.
4 Cure
Sore throats and sore eyes (Amanda Clarke)
5 Pattern day
March 25 (pattern day) and August 15 (Feast of the Assumption)
6 Offerings
Coins and small stones have been thrown into the well
7 Prayer rounds and stations
Pilgrims circumambulate the well clockwise five times saying decades of the rosary. Formerly, pilgrims would wash their faces or eyes with the water, though as the well is now in a car park, this is not usual today.
8 Stories
"There was once a man who was very wicked. He had a son who was very wicked too. One day the man went to the well. He said he would not pray. He saw a fish below. He put his hand down to catch the fish. He slipped and fell in and his son saw him and jumped in to save his father but he could not and fell in and was drowned too. A long time ago there was a trout in the well, Anyone who saw the trout was cured of their illness. A man said he would catch the trout. he brought a net and when the trout appeared he caught him. When he was pulling up the net his hand fell dead to his side. When he tried to stand up he could not, his legs and hand were paralysed. The trout changed into a stone and remained a stone forever. It can still be seen at the edge of the well." (Amanda Clarke https://holywellsofcork.com/tag/st-marys-church-killarney/)
Abbey Well, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
This well has other names including Friary Well, Tobar na Mainistreache, and Lady’s Well
2 Townland, County, GPS
Abbey-Lands, County Cork
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well is located at the end of an alleyway. It is marked by a sign that gives the history of the well. It has a semicircular wall of stonesaround it with shelves that may have been intended for offerings (see Amanda Clarke)
4 Cure
There is no one cure associated with this well, but it was thought to be especially effective in curing Leprosy. (Clark, https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/11/03/two-kinsale-wells/)
5 Pattern day
The 15th of August
8 Stories
Amanda Clarke reports “The well is still dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and it seems that she has even made a brief appearance here. Cait Ni Síoccáin collected this story in 1937 as part of the Schools’ Folklore Collection: … The story is told how a man went for some water at twelve o clock one night. When he got to the centre of the lane something stopped him, He made the sign of the cross and then found he was able to walk again. When he got to the well Our Blessed Lady appeared to him and told him that it was the spirits that stopped him on his way to the well. She also told him that these spirits wanted to frighten people and it was very dangerous to be out late at night. Thinking that she was another spirit the man blessed himself again. Our Lady told him not to fear that she was the Mother of God. She said she would protect him until he was safe in his own home. She did so and when he got home he knelt down and thanked her, then he kissed her hand and she disappeared… ( 0319:70)” (Clark, https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/11/03/two-kinsale-wells/)
9 Publications
Clarke, Amanda. "Gazetteer." Holy Wells of Cork. Accessed November 2, 2018. https://holywellsofcork.com/gazeteer/.
Clarke, Amanda. “No title” Holy Wells of Cork, 31 OCT, 2016. https://holywellsofcork.com/img_0021-2/
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well is housed beneath an arched stone wellhouse. A mug is near it so that those can drink from the shallow waters. Nearby is a Mass Rock where mass is still held on the 15th of August. To get to the well and Mass Rock you have to walk through a field that overlooks Bantry Bay, enter through a gate painted silver and pass a statue of Mary which overlooks the site.
4 Cure
lameness
"There is healing associated with the well. A story tells of how a young girl from Drimoleague was brought here in a chair, unable to walk. She saw the eel and was reputedly cured, no longer needing the chair for her return journey home. When the statue to the BVM was put up in 1952, some of the money received towards the cost, came from the granddaughter of the girl who was said to have been cured." (https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/ by Amanda Clarke)
5 Pattern day
August 15th
6 Offerings
There are statues of Saints all down the hillside and Amanda Clark says that there are many offerings left (https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/ by Amanda Clark)
7 Prayer rounds and stations
"The rounds were said here on the 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption, and Johnny Crowley, a local historian, explains what you had to do:
‘Tis a very devout place. and there have been healings attached to it. The rounds is done here on the 15th August. The rounds then consisted of 15 decades of the Rosary, going up one side of the path by the altar and down and round the other. The tradition was to take 15 small pebbles and as you passed the well you dropped one in. You know you had the 15 decades finished when you dropped the last pebble in the well. When you threw in the 15th stone and said your Hail Holy Queen, if an eel that was in the well jumped up in the water, the main part of your wish would be given…'
(Sheep’s Head Way booklet)" (https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/ by Amanda Clarke)
9 Publications
https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/ by Amanda Clarke
Photograph by Amanda Clark