St. John's Well

St. John's Well

St Eóin's Well, also referred to Saint Senan's Well or St. Luke's Well.

Asdee, County Kerry

St. Eoin's well is a circular well filled with clear water located in a field with a small wooden fence around it. It is below ground, surrounded by stone and has a shrine with a Virgin Mary statue near it.

The well is said to hold a cure for sore eyes and rheumatism. The cure is obtained by "...drink[ing] the well-water. They never bathe in the well but they rub it to the affected part." (SFC, 0403:039)

The well is visited "the Saturday before May-day, the first Saturday in May and before St. John's day." (SFC, 0403:038) Mass is held yearly on June 24th.

Offerings include string/pieces of cloth, pictures of saint john, and medals. The cloth is tied to a bush which grows close to the well.

"You should go round the well three times and say a rosary while you are going around. This should be done three times." (SFC, 0403:038)

One story from the School Folklore Collection is as follows: "One day as St. Eóin was saying Mass by the well the priest hunters came along. The people got afraid but St. Eóin told them not to be afraid and when he had Mass finished he mounted his horse and the horse rose up into the air and came down on top of Cnoc an Áir." (SFC, 0403:038)
Another story also from the School Folklore Collection: "One day a man who was blind in one eye went to the well and started to do the rounds. When he had the rounds finished he washed his eye with the water from the well. After a while the eye was cured and when he opened his eye he saw the lump that was in it swimming in the water, and after a while a fish came to the top of he water and carried the lump away with him." (SFC, 0403:104)
And another from Dwelling, Place and Environment, written by Walter G Brenneman: "On the eve of her wedding she went to meditate at St Eoin’s well. She sat on the grass before the well, and out from out of a nearby bush there sprung a golden trout, moving on its tail as a salmon skims the across the surface of the water. The trout leapt into the water and disappeared. From the spot where he disappeared, there arose a continuous stream of bubbles. These are considered to be full of power and no doubt refer back to the na bolcca immaiss, or mystic bubble of inspiration of the Well of Segais." (ed David Saemon, Robert Mugerauer,1985)

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666582?pageNum=038
https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/2020/03/01/north-kerry-escapade-part-2/
David Saemon and Robert Mugerauer, Dwelling, Place, and Environment, 1985

Picture from Clarke at https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/2020/03/01/north-kerry-escapade-part-2/