Tomas Ghobnatan

Back to Ballyvourney today for the main feast day and the original statue was where it should be - on a table in the church. There was a large queue to pay respects and I lined up, my ribbons purchased and ready to do the business.  It's a solemn ritual, laden with meaning and powerful to watch.
Earlier I had visited the main site and paid the rounds, including imbibing some water - one of the few wells where i feel confident to take a swig. The water is very cold, very fresh and the moss actually glows. Two teenage lads waited patiently whilst I did the business  I also had time to take a quick coffee with my pal Gail, who had made me a beautiful little Gobnait out of rushes, cloaked in appropriate bee fabric.
When I first wanted to visit the statue, Mass was going on and it was jammed! I drove off to another site associated with Gobnait - a truly mysterious place in a tiny copse. It had been decorated for the day and I ate my sandwich and contemplated it all.
Tivoli, my bee earrings were on,  Jeano, the Van Gogh socks were doing the business. 
Feeling wrecked very virtuous now!