School: Knockanevin (roll number 4122)

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1. Saint Fanahan's Holy Well

   

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   St. Fanahan’s Holy Well

   A short distance outside the town of Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, there stands in the centre of a graveyard the ruins of an old church. They are all that now remain of the once extensive abbey founded by St. Fanahan, the Patron of the Parish of Brigown and the town of Mitchelstown.The ruins are plain and rough, but the church was earlier than the churches of Cashel and Holycross — in fact it was one of the earliest churches built in Ireland.

   In the east of the town and reached by Mulberry Lane, so called because of the mulberry trees planted there for the silk industry many years ago, and then through a shaded path four hundred yards long is St Fanahan’s Blessed Well. The well is very neatly kept, and some years ago a statue of St. Fanahan was erected there. It is said that the well was situated just outside Brigown graveyard, in a field known as Abbey Field, which belonged to the monastery, and for some reason removed to its present location. No reason is given for the change. In the Abbey Field, and a short distance west of the graveyard, there is today a pond or pool which appears to be fed by a small spring. Tradition has it that the Holy Well was first situated in this spot.

   The water from the well is supposed to possess great healing power for any bodily complaint either internal or external, and on the feast of the saint — 25th November —

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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