School: Knockanevin (roll number 4122)

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1. Saint Mochta's Holy Well

   

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   St. Mocthu’s Holy Well

   About a mile from Knockanevin, we find St. Mocthu's Holy Well. This well is situated on the northern side of “Seomra Nora” hill and is about four hundred yards south west of the old graveyard of Darragh, Glenroe, Co. Limerick. The Well is easily located by eight large beech trees which grow very close together around it. There are very few trees on this slope, so the beeches are very conspicuous.

   There is no protecting wall around the Well, but it is so situated that it is naturally protected. It is about four feet below ground level and the water is reached by descending three shallow steps.

   The feast day of St. Mochtu is August 31st and a few people visit the Well on that day. They go there seeking spiritual or temporal favours and for cure or relief of ailments, diseases or physical deformities. During the visit “rounds “ are made. People go three times around the Well, with a pause at the Well during each “round”. The direction of the “rounds” is clockwise, and there is no special method for counting the “rounds.”

   The prayers usually said when making the “round” are a decade of the Rosary, while seven Paters, seven Aves, and seven Glorias are said during each pause at the Well.

   The water of the Well is supposed to be efficacious for all external bodily complaints, and especially for eye trouble.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Collector

   J. Crosbie

   Address

   Knockanevin, Co. Cork

   Informant

   John Ronan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   83

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Knockanevin, Co. Cork