Dublin Core
Title
St. Fachtna’s well
Description of Well Item Type Metadata
1 Name of well and saint
The blessed well or St. Fachtna’s Well
2 Townland, County, GPS
Rossbrin, County Cork
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
Amanda Clarke describes her attempt at locating St. Fachtna’s well as being difficult. A local woman directed her to a pier near Rossbrin castle. She was then instructed to walk 50 paces towards a rock with water pouring out of it. (Clarke, 2016) The well itself boasts an exceptional appearance as described by Clarke, “fresh water seeping out from rock into the salt water at the edge of the sea.The water was cold and clear, gathering in a natural basin in the rock, then flowing out into the strand” (Clarke, 2016). Clarke goes on to say that even the pebbles in the basin are colorful and beautiful.
4 Cure
The blessed well cures toothaches and provides a general panacea (SFC 0290, 272- 275)
5 Pattern day
St John’s Eve, June 23rd (Clarke, 2016).
6 Offerings
During the last surge in popularity at the well, practitioners would leave rags tied to a white thorn tree near the well (SFC 0290, 275). That tree has since died. During her visit, Amanda Clarke found coins left in rock crevices and rosaries left as votive offerings (Clarke, 2016).
8 Stories
Dermot Daly, in his entry to the Schools' Collection of folklore says masses may have been said on the nearby hill of Leacha na h'Atóna during penal times (SFC 0290, 276)
9 Publications
Clarke, Amanda. 2016. “St Fachtna’s Well, Rossbrin” holywellscorkandkerry.com, August 24. https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/2016/08/24/st-fachtnas-well-rossbrin/
Schools' Collection of folklore. Vol 0290, pages 272-276
Schools' Collection of folklore. Vol 0290, pages 272-276