Lady's Well, Beach

1 Name of well and saint

Lady’s Well, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary

2 Townland, County, GPS

Beach, County Cork

3 Physical description of well and its surroundings

Before the visitor gets to the well dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary they must first wind up a hill that has statues of saints placed as offerings spread across it and overlooks Bantry Bay. A set of stairs leads down to the well itself and the Mass Rock that is near it. An arch made of stone cups the well at the back and covers it at the top. There is a mug left at the well for communal use.

4 Cure

The well is said to heal physical disabilities. “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.” (Clark, https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/)

5 Pattern day

The pattern day is the 15th of August, this is the day that the rounds would have been made in celebration. Mass is still held at the Mass Rock by the well on the 15th of August.

6 Offerings

Small religious statues seem to be the most common offering.

7 Prayer rounds and stations

“‘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)” (Clark, https://holywellsofcork.com/2016/02/19/ladys-well-sheeps-head/)

9 Publications

Clarke, Amanda. "Gazetteer." Holy Wells of Cork. Accessed October 31, 2018. https://holywellsofcork.com/gazeteer/.
Clarke, Amanda. “No title” Holy Wells of Cork, 19 Feb, 2016. https://holywellsofcork.com/img_1325/
Power, Denis. 1998. Archeological inventory of County Cork volume 1: West Cork; comprising the Baronies of Bear, Bantry, West Carbery (east & west), East Carbery (east & west), Ibane & Barryroe and Kinalmeaky. Stationery Office. PP 281.

Dublin Core

Title

Description of Well Item Type Metadata