School: Knockanevin (roll number 4122)

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1. Saint Fanahan's Holy Well (continued)

   

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   on a bush near the Well. Others who were cured left a striking memento in the form of crutches and all forms of limb and body supports.

   Saint Fananhan, we are told, came to Brigown about fourteen hundred years ago, after having been removed from the office of Abbot of Bangor, and making a pilgrimage to Rome. He was granted a tract of land in Brigown, by the King of Cashel, and there he founded a monastery and built his church. The monastery flourished and tradition says it was sacked by the Danes early in the ninth century.

   St Fanahan’s Church was called “Cill na Marbhán” — the “Church of the Dead” — and he was the Saint of the Holy Souls. It was the custom of the Saint, when a corpse was taken to the church prior to interment, to spend the night in prayer beside the body.

   Of the round tower which stood near the church no trace now remains. It was said that the stones were used in the erection of the Rectory, which in all probabilities built on what was once Abbey land.

   We are told that when St. Celsus - The Archbishop of Armagh - was on a visitation the Ardpatrick in 1129 he fell sick, and prior to his death expressed the wish to be “waked” in Cill na Marbhán and buried in Lismore.

   

   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