Milford Holy Well, Donegal

Dublin Core

Title

Milford Holy Well, Donegal

Description of Well Item Type Metadata

1 Name of well and saint

Moyle Hill Holy Well. No saint dedication

2 Townland, County, GPS

Milford, Donegal

3 Physical description of well and its surroundings

Beside the Milford-Letterkenny road over Moyle Hill there is a holy well. This well is situated in a farm belonging to the late Colonel Swiney on the left hand side of the road about three miles from Milford. The well is beside the river bed and in rainy weather the river water flows over it. Nine stone mounds are in the field to the left of the stream. (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1087, Page 018)

4 Cure

When the nine stations are over the person returns to the well and drinks the water and washes sores and painful parts with it. Then they bring some water home in bottles for use during the year. (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1087, Page 018)

5 Pattern day

People come from far and near to make the stations on the last Sunday in April, the first Sunday in May, and the first Sunday in August. (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1087, Page 018)

7 Prayer rounds and stations

A person making the stations washes their feet and then makes the stations on bare feet. They begin by saying the Creed and the Act of Contrition. Then they go around the first mound saying at the same time one our Father and three Hail Marys. At the end of this station they throws a stone or pebble up on top of the mound. They then go along then and do the very same thing at each of the other stations. (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1087, Page 018)

8 Stories

Very little is known of this well. There is no church near the place and there is no saint mentioned in connection with it. (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1087, Page 018)

9 Publications

National Folklore Collection

Geolocation