Paying the Rounds

Just back from an exceptionally full on couple of days in Northish Cork, attempting to tackle the last batch of holy wells. 17 visited!! This was my favourite for there was such an adventure to get to it - the whole of Carrignavar was on well alert and there were phonecalls and text going on all over the place. Eventually the old chap in the supermarket sent me in the right direction, where I met two men in a van having their lunch. Phone Calls were made, the traffic was stopped and eventually Tom led me in convoy to the the farm, phoning the landowner as he went. The phone was passed to me and instructions given how to find the well - many warning about the electric fences being given out. The well, a Sunday's Well, was through two fields and in a little copse. What was so special was the stone above it with a crucifixion carved on to it - dating from the 18C I reckon. I was just returning when the landowner, Mick, came down to see what I was up to. What a lovely man - in fact we went back down to the well so he could tell me more about it and show me what you had to do there. A stone, white quartz, is still tucked into a ledge and you use it to inscribe crossed on the statue. You would then drink the water. The well is currently dry but was said to hold a cure for lameness.  Mick said he wished he'd listened more when his parents told him about the well for they visited it often. He described them, sitting here, the sun streaming down into the glade , with such fondness. I promised to find out what I could  for him.

I had many such lovely encounters and on arriving at my airbnb the owner had tea and homebaked cakes waiting, and an expert to the area!  John was a mine of information - see extra for us examining the remains of St Ruadhan's Well (this was around 8pm!!) I slept like a log!