St. Michael's Well

St. Michael's Well

St Michael’s Well

It is in the townland of Kilmihil, and is in the County Clare.

The well complex is situated off the main road in the townland of Kilmihil. The well is also around one hundred yards from the church of St. Michael, which is now partially ruined. The well is encased with concrete, and has an iron fence surrounding the pool. There is also a yellow pump house situated near the well. On top of that building is a glass-encased statue depicting Christ. The well is surrounded by concrete .

For references see the Ordnance Survey Letters by John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry 1839) and ( Michael Houlihan, 2015).

One of the most famous cures associated with the well is the curing of gout, through drinking the water. However, there is no contemporary association with a cure (Clarelibrary A folklore Survey of County Clare, Thomas Johnson Westropp).

Saint Michael’s feast day is September 29th, and was celebrated with a feast as well as a pilgrimage to the well, in which the pilgrims would stay for two days. During the stay, pilgrims daink from the well, and walked around the well 3-9 times clockwise while holding the rosary. After the ritual was completed celebratory socializing began.

After the ritual is completed, pilgrims leave a pin, button, or a piece of cloth at the well (County Clare Heritage Office, Michael Houlihan).

Before the previously mentioned pattern day ritual, one would first gather ten stones, and leave one behind. For each round passed after saying the rosary, the pilgrim would leave the stone, creating a stone heap by the end.

It is said that the well was founded in 1632, when the Lady Mariana, was told by the Archangel, St. Michael, to dig near his church (now ruined) until water arose. Once she discovered the well, she was cured of her gout. However, there is no set tradition of a cure in the current town of Kilmihil (Clare library A folklore Survey of County Clare, Thomas Johnson Westropp).

https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/archaeology/CL048-06303-.htm
https://heritage.clareheritage.org/places/holy-wells/saint-michaels-well-kilmihil
https://visitballinskelligs.com/heritage/st-michaels-well/
photograph taken from the County Clare Heritage Office