School: Creatlach (B.)
- Location:
- Cratloe, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Seán Breathnach
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0597, Page 022
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- (continued from previous page)killed by being caught in the machinery.
It is also said that an evil-minded person many years before this made an attempt to empty the well in order to prevent people coming through his lands. He failed and ever after suffered so much from thirst that he was obliged to take water with him wherever he went. Finally he died of thirst.
In the old times when the 'Pattern' devotions were over the people enjoyed themselves until a late hour. Tents were erected for the sale of whiskey, (there was no such thing as porter or stout) food, cakes & the usual 'dainties' now common at our sports and race-meetings.
Whiskey was then cheap and vendors did a roaring trade. Then the fun started. Rows were plentiful and faction-fighting tested their specially-made sticks of black-thorn on the heads of their opponents. The 'tread-on-the-tail-of-my-coat' business was often carried out near the Well, and many a good man was carried home before John's Day was over.
The exact position of Saint John's Well is marked on the Ordinance Survey Map, (Clare, Sheet 62.) twenty-three and a half inches from the left-hand margin and sixteen and the three-fourth inches from the bottom of the sheet. (Edition of 1922.).(continues on next page)
