Dublin Core
Title
Malin Well
Description of Well Item Type Metadata
1 Name of well and saint
Malin Well
Saint Dedication -- St. Muirdhealach
Saint Dedication -- St. Muirdhealach
2 Townland, County, GPS
Ballygorman
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The well was located in front of a shallow cavern along the shore and was supplied by a spring-now moved. The well now is said to live in a circular hole in a stone only revealed at low tide.
4 Cure
The well is said to have miscellaneous curative properties. There are records that describe visitors dropping beads into the well as part of a ritual that is associated with the well, but most offerings are thought to be washed out to sea during high tide.
5 Pattern day
August 15th
6 Offerings
Beads and other personal items are likely deposited in the well, but because of the tides, these items do not remain.
8 Stories
"In 1801 McParlan observes the
culmination of pilgrimage festivities
into an unusual ritual with, “people
dropping beads in the water…all
vehemently whispering prayers....
but the ceremony finishes by a good
ablution in the sea, male and female,
all frisking and playing in the water
stark naked and washing off each
other’s sins.”
https://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/archives/Malin%20Head%20booklet%20PDF.pdf
culmination of pilgrimage festivities
into an unusual ritual with, “people
dropping beads in the water…all
vehemently whispering prayers....
but the ceremony finishes by a good
ablution in the sea, male and female,
all frisking and playing in the water
stark naked and washing off each
other’s sins.”
https://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/archives/Malin%20Head%20booklet%20PDF.pdf
9 Publications
https://www.donegalcoco.ie/media/donegalcountyc/archives/Malin%20Head%20booklet%20PDF.pdf