| Holy Wells
© St Patrick's Well
St Patrick's well is in the townland of Rathurd on the lands
of Seamus Ryan. The well is about 200-300 yards south-west from the parochial
house. The well has a stone surround. In 1955 Danaher wrote that the well
contained clear water but on our visit, the well had dried up. The well
was also called the Blessed well. There are no devotions nowadays at the
well but locals visited the well on St Patrick's day.
© Toberstroke Holy Well
In the old parish of Caheravally, in the townland of Lickadoon,
there is a Holy Well called Toberstroke. This well is on the lands of
Patrick & Margaret Holmes. The well is surrounded by an ash tree and
a whitethorn. A rough stone wall enclosed the well. The water was believed
to cure sore eyes and an ailment called 'the stroke'. Rounds were usually
made on Saturdays. Rags and medals were left at the whitethorn bush. A
legend about the well is that the well moved when clothes were washed
in it.
We would like to thank Patrick & Margaret Holmes for the photograph
of Toberstroke.
There is a Holy Well in the townland of Cahernorry Kane called St Senan's
well. It was a place of pilgrimage in 1840 and was a strong clear spring.
The water is now used for domestic use but the location of the well is
unknown. According to local tradition, the well moved after a Williamite
soldier's wife washed clothes in the well in 1690.
There was also a Holy Well in Monaclione called St Nicholas' Well but
it is now covered in. It was in the old parish of St Nicholas according
to Danaher. A slab was at the well with the inscription "St Nicholas,
pray for us". Rounds were made on a Sunday usually.
Thomas Toomey, local historian, informed us that there was also a blessed
well in the townland of Ballynagarde, and that visitation to this well
was continued until relatively recent years.
Mass Rock
According to "An Antique and Storied Land" by Toomey and Greensmyth,
there was a mass rock in the townland of Carrigmartin from penal times.
This rock was called the Cats Cradle and was allegedly the breeding place
for wild cats, hence the name.
 
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