School: Edenderry (St Mary's Convent)
- Location:
- Edenderry, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Sr M. Laserian
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0801, Page 160
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- St Finian's Well
There is a holy well about a half mile from where I live called St Finian's well. It is situated in the centre of a large field with a small wall surrounding it. This field has been in the possession of Protestants for generations past.
Every May Eve the people of the locality both young and old throng to this well. The custom is that each person who visits this well, must recite a Decade of the Rosary at each of the five Stations that are marked around the well. When the Stations are finished the person puts a pin into a rag and drops it into the well.
There is a certain amount of water in this well. A bottle of this water is brought home by each person and left uncorked until the following May Eve. This water is supposed never to reduce, to get discoloured or become soft no matter how long it is kept.
About one hundred years ago the residing Protestant family owner ordered one of his servants to bring him in some of the water which he intended to boil quickly. The servant did as he was told, and this master spent hour after hour fearing that his fire would(continues on next page)
