north-east of Shanagolden there is another holy well. It is situtated a few hundred yards from the main road, between Limerick and Foynes, and beside the ruins of an old castle called Dysert castle. The well is dedicated to St. John (Eoin), and some old people say that the name Borrigone is derived from the name of the saint, i.e. Barraigh Eoin or the rough lands of St. John.On the 15th August each year a 'pattern' is held at the well. People come there on that day from this and the surrounding parishes, and perform a 'rounds' or pilgrimage there. Formerly a much bigger crowd gathered for the 'pattern', than there does of recent times. Up to thirty years ago a great number of people flocked to this well on the eve of the Assumption. They remained there all night and throughout the following day. Bonfires were kept lighting and open air dances were held near the well. People also visited Borrigone well to make rounds, on the Saturday before May day, and on the eve of St. John's day.The 'rounds' performed are as follows. A person walks slowly round the well

to work by. On New Year's eve a "sweet cake ", currant cake, is flung at the door, to keep out the hunger for the coming year. The cake breaks of course and the children of the house each pick up a piece - the largest piece possible, enjoying the scramble for the big bits.
On St Brigid's night crosses are made of rushes, called St. Brigid's cross, and put into the thatch of the roof.On St. John's night bonfires are light in honour of St. John. Some farmers take a burning branch from the St. John's fire and walking amongst the cows, drop a little ash from the branch on each cow, or tip each cow with the branch. This ensures that the cows will not miss having calves that year. When the cow calves the "cleaning" should be thrown on a hawthorn bush and left there to wither.November eve is a great night for finding out the person to whom you will be married. By "burning" a pair together with beans you can find whether they will stay together, or part, by peeling an apple completely in one piece without breaking the peel from the time you start until you finish, then throwing the peel over your shoulder and watching the letter it

Bonfires lit on St. John's Eve. - in honour of saint. Visits to St. John's well in Cratloe to make rounds were common 60 years ago. Some do so yet.

St. John's Well is situated on the grounds of Warrenstown College formally owned by the Johnsons. There were pilgrimages to it since the faith was planted in Meath and it is the most remarkable holy well in county. According to tradition about three hundred and fifty years ago Mass was celebrated at the well on St. John's Eve and for several days after. This went on year after year until some harm was done by the people camping there. The bishop then gave orders not to have Mass said any more but the pilgrims will continued to come on St. John's Eve.
In 1708 the Irish Parliament prohibited pilgrimages to the well because they thought the pilgrims assembled there for other purposes besides religion.
Some say that those afflicted with blindness or deafness were cured at the well.
Tradition has it that one of the Johnsons who was journeying in the Holy Land dropped his stick into the Jordan and it came out at St. John's Well. It is a blackthorn and

St. John
John's Well is about four miles from Kilkenny city, and it is called after St. John. It has the honor of having one of the most famous holy Wells in Kilkenny.
In olden days, it was frequented by pilgrims on St. John's Eve and Festival and on to the 24th of June.
John Keagan in one of his poems gives a touching description of a Wexford girl who accompanied by her mother, came to St. John's Well on St. John's Eve, 1832 seeking to be cured of blindness. There is a famous Church near the well in honor of him, and there are also many people in the district named after him.

St John's well called St John the Baptist well has been for centuries the most famous holy well in the Diocese. In former times it was frequented by people on St John's Eve for devotional purpose on 20th of June and a pattern was held. Abuses crept in and in 1761 the pattern was stopped but still the pilgrimage continued.

with it. One is "May Fire". Children get sticks, coal or turf on May Eve and May Day light a fire and go from door to door with some in a can asking for a penny for the "May Fire".Some people say you should not go into a field on May Eve as the fairies would take you. They also believe that you should bring a branch of green (such as a branch of a white thorn) into the house for luck on May Eve and May Day. On the other hand some people say that it is unlucky to bring anything green into the house during May. Some people in Ennis believe in the first and others in the second.Long ago people did not like others to take water from their well on May morning as they were afraid they might take away the butter of their cows. Nobody would come into anothers house for a coal on that day for the same reason. People used to put out quick beam on the crops to protect them from the fairies. The more usual practice now is to sprinkle them with Holy Water.
On ST JOHN'S EVE and ST JOHN'S DAY bonfires used be lighted in every town land. They are still lighted in some places especially at St John's Well in Newhall a few miles outside Ennis.
The 24th OF JUNE is the FAIR OF SPANCILHILL a very

to be a kind of wicked day. It is said that the water runs mad three times on that day. Any person or animal born on Whit Sunday is supposed to be sore.
St John's Eve.
On St John's eve all the boys in this village of Prizon, parish of Balla, barony of Carra, Co. Mayo get a horse and cart and a lot of bags and go to everybody's bog and bring a bag of turf out of it. They also get a few big blocks and they bring them to the crossroads. There

St. John's EveIt was a local custom some years ago, for the young people of this neighbourhood to collect a quantity of turf and wood and light a huge bonfire on a high hill, on St. John's Eve. They passed the night in singing and dancing round the fire, and cheering their loudest. When leaving for home, they always carried away with them a lighted sod which they threw into a corner of the nearest field to avert sickness from cattle during the year.

St John's EveIn this district fires are lit in the potato fields on St John's Eve. Withered bushes are gathered together, and they are so placed that when lit, the wind blows the smoke over the crop.The people say that the lighting of these fires brings a blessing on the crops.
This custom has been carried out in this district as long as the people can remember.

and St. Brigid blesses it and it will cure any ailment.
All the people wear Shamrock on St. Patrick's Day and there are many songs about it.
On Chalk Sunday the people put a cross of chalk on the backs of the old bachelors.
On May Day the people wash their faces in the dew to make themselves good looking.
They also wash their hands in the dew and they could undo any knot. People visit a well called The City to pay rounds for cattle on the 1st of May. The City is at the foot of The Paps. On May Eve people work "piseógs".
People make bonfires on St. John's Eve. On St. John's Day people pay rounds at St. John's Well which is on the top of Mushera Mountain. They

1. It is customary to put branches of a tree called Quick-beam or Mountain Ash on all growing crops on May Eve - as on jambs of Doors and windows in all houses in Co. Clare so as to have good luck for the ensuing year.2. On the Eve of St. John's Day 23th June it is customary to make large bonfires in open spaces in villages and cross roads - when the neighbours assemble for a couple of hours and when departing each person takes a sod or sods of the fire to his or her home in memory of St. John.3. There is a belief in Clare that certain person are possessed of what are called "Bad Eyes" and those persons are supposed to have the power of causing death to Animals that come under their observation. I myself was witness to one case that happened to our family. The belief is that those persons so affected were neglected by the priest when being baptized. Many a time I was directed to remove animals out of sight of a certain

old bachelors with chalk. On May eve there are many old customs practiced The many master of the house sprinkles holy water on the cattle and crops to keep away the Evel One. On May eve the woman of the house would not give away milk without shaking a pince of salt in it
St John's eve is held on the twenty third of June bon-fires are lighted in honour of St John.
Corrections
kept kept Evil Evil

St John's Eve
About sixty or seventy years St John's Eve was observed by young and old but nowadays this custom has died except that a furze bush is lighted in a remote place. Long ago a few days before Bonfire Night all the young men and boys were busily engaged gathering sticks,turf and other kinds of fuel. When they had enough gathered they made them all up into one big heap so as to have a blaze fire. When the sun went down all the neighbours gathered around. The fire was lighted and the flames could be seen for miles. Then all at once there was wild applause

The old people even though they had only three meals a day lived to a ripe old age because they used good wholesome food. They had porridge made of yellow meal or or Indian meal for breakfast potatoes and salt for dinner and porridge for supper. They always worked hard before breakfast to give them an appetite. They had their breakfast at seven o'clock in the morning, their dinner never later than 12 o'clock and their supper at 6 oclock. They generally eat their with the table against the wall. They also eat extra eggs on Easter Sunday and they always killed a chicken on St Martin's Eve and spilled the blood on the doorstep. A bonfire was lit on St John's Eve and material was collected for it for weeks before hand. My Granduncle remembers wooden vessels with wide bottoms like milking cans called peggins. There is a pot stand in our house shaped like a triangle and while my Granduncle, John O'Neill Crogue Tipperary now aged about 90 years was in the house he has alweys seen it there. It was said when tea came out first a priest came to a certain house in the district and the old woman of the house who did not know how to use the tea boiled it and strained the water off it and seasoned it with pepper and salt and gave it to the priest. We put burning embers on the lid of the bastible when we are baking a cake. The people long ago used to boil beastings until it turned like curds and whey and they stirred it with wooden spoons to prevent it from burning. When we kill a goose we keep her blood and we mix it with pepper

One St. Stephen's day the boys go out with eyefiddles on their faces and they carry a branch of holly in their hands. They get alot of money from the people. On the day before which is Christmas Day the people go to early Mass. On Christmas Eve a candle is lighted and the house decorated with holly. Little Christmas Night it is said that the water is turned into wine at twelve o'clock. During Shrove the people make the matches at the fairs. On Shrove Tuesday night pancakes are made in every house. On St Patrick's Day the harp and shamrock are worn by all the people. On Easter Saturday the people go to the church for blessed water and on the day before the people go to do the station of the Cross. On Easter Sunday everyone eats more eggs than usual. On St John's night a bonfire is lighted on the tops of the hills in honour of St. John. On Ash Wednesday the sign of the cross is put on the forehead of each person. On May Eve quickbeams are planted in the four corners of each field. The people do not till the fields on this day. On November's night many old customs are practised such as the snap apple, the roasting of the beans and

318
St John's Eve:- A bonfire to be light in honour of St. John.
May Eve :- Quick beam to be stuck in potatoes .

St John's Well
There are many "holy wells" in Meath but perhaps the most renowned is that dedicated to St John Baptist, situated in the Grounds of Warrenstown College, formerly the residence of a family named Johnson.
This well has been held in great veneration for centuries and on the eve of the feast of St John 23rd June, numbers of pious pilgrims gather there to make their stations, and to bathe in the waters of the well so that they may be cured of their ailments.
It is said the water gushes forth at midnight with great force on the Eve of the festival, and for that reason people making the pilgrimage endeavour to be at the holy well at the mystic hour.
People also used to visit the well on the 29th June, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. On one occasion an old man suffering from some malady in his feet was standing where the water which issues from the side of the bank could flow over his feet. The water was flowing as usual when suddenly it stopped. On the bank over the well were a number of young people who were acting in what the old man considered an irreverent

St John's night is celebrated on the eve of the 23rd June. On that night everyone lights a bonfire in honour of St. John. Many people believe that the crops would not be lucky if they did not light a bonfire in them on St. John's night.
It was often heard that many people used to go out on that night and pick certain kinds of herbs which they mix in water and they give it to sick cattle to drink.

St John's Night
St John's Night is held in honour of St. John on the 21st June. That night a bone fire is lighted and bones are thrown into it. Some people say prayers around it and when they are going home they bring a coal with them and throw it in a field near the road.
Boys go into every man's bog and steal turf and when the fire is lighted many people come to it.November's Eve
The costums of November's Eve 31st Oct. was a pagan origin. Many tricks are played on that night. Boys and girls get a basin of water and their mother will give them six pennies and they try to get it out with their mouths. So the one that gets the money can keep it.
Boys go into people's gardens and steal cabbage and then they bring it out on the road and kick it along.Christmas Night
Christmas is one of the biggest feasts in the year. It is held on the 24th Dec in honour of our Lord's birth. People light candles on that night and leave one on every window. It is supposed that the Blessed Virgin goes into every house Christmas Night.