Dublin Core
Title
St Boden's/Father Germaine's Well
Description of Well Item Type Metadata
1 Name of well and saint
Father Germaine's or Saint Boden's Well. Rededicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1902.
2 Townland, County, GPS
Lackan, parish of Boystown, county of Wicklow
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well was originally a half mile from the Lackan Saint Boden church. A protective wall was built around the well in 1902 at the same time it was rededicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The well was submerged under water in the 1940s to create the Pollaphuca Reservoir. when the reservoir water levels lower (as in 1978) the remains of the well structure are again visible.
4 Cure
Cures lameness, weak legs, and limps. These cures were said to be the result of stone loach fish in the bottom of the well. The stones around and in the well are said to cure toothaches.
5 Pattern day
The old pattern day (for Saint Boden) has been forgotten. The pattern day for Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the first Sunday of May.
6 Offerings
Formerly: rosary beads, medals, cloth. People healed left their crutches, walking sticks, gauze, and other medical paraphernalia.
7 Prayer rounds and stations
After circling the well three times, people recited seven Our Fathers and seven Hail Mary's.
8 Stories
In 1903, a young girl who had never used her limbs before was completely cured after visiting the well.
The well was named after Father Germaine after his hat blew away in the wind, leading him to the well. He was discovered on his knees reading his breviaries and the well was rededicated to him.
The well was named after Father Germaine after his hat blew away in the wind, leading him to the well. He was discovered on his knees reading his breviaries and the well was rededicated to him.
9 Publications
Lynch, Geraldine. "The Submerged Well of Many Names, Lacken, County Wicklow" in Holy Wells of Ireland: Sacred Realms and Popular Domains, ed. Celeste Ray and Finbar McCormick. Indiana University Press, 2023. Project MUSE, https://muse.jhu.edu/book/115126.
Photo pulled from the above, which was reproduced by permission of the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
Omurethi, ‘Father Germaine’s Well in Lacken’, Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 5, 1905.
Tom Bowen "Saint Boden’s Well, Lacken: Compiled Notes" https://static1.squarespace.com/static/557961b3e4b084c9759bd919/t/5586e416e4b0b53c316cdf3b/1434903574579/St+bodens+well+copy.pdf
Photo pulled from the above, which was reproduced by permission of the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
Omurethi, ‘Father Germaine’s Well in Lacken’, Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 5, 1905.
Tom Bowen "Saint Boden’s Well, Lacken: Compiled Notes" https://static1.squarespace.com/static/557961b3e4b084c9759bd919/t/5586e416e4b0b53c316cdf3b/1434903574579/St+bodens+well+copy.pdf