St. Colmcille's Well

St. Colmcille's Well

Tobar Cholmcille (St Columba’s Well), dedicated to St. Colmcille

Affane parish in Curraghroche townland, county Waterford

The well is situated in the Blackwater area of County Waterford, and is considered to be a more well-known well in the county. Nearby there was once a bullaun stone and a carved head in a canopy, but these are considered to be no longer visible to visitors (Broderick, 2016: 46-47).
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This well is said to cure sore eyes and poor eyesight. Many who make pilgrimage to the site will apply the water to the eyes, or take it back home for its curative properties.

It notes that the saint’s feast day is June 9, but it is unclear as to whether the pattern day is observed on that date currently.

It is noted that you must pay visits, but there is no information as to whether offerings are deposited.

According to Broderick, you must pay nine visits to the site if a person desires a cure before sunrise. If one sees a trout the morning of the ninth visit, it is a sign that the visitor will be cured of their ailments (Broderick,2016: 46-47).

A local man who worked in the area verified the sanctity of the well. He took the water home to boil and it did not get hot, but he saw the trout in the legend. When he went to return it and came back with more water, it boiled. There was no harm done to the man, the legend notes, because this encounter was accidental.

Broderick, Eugene. 2016. Patterns and Patrons: The Holy Wells of Waterford.

http://snap.waterfordcoco.ie/collections/ebooks/106325/106325.pdf

Colmcille is considered a great early Irish saint and is considered the reason Christianity was brought to Scotland and founded the abbey at Iona. He died in 597.