School: Milverton (roll number 15569)

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1. St Mauvee's Well (continued)

   

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   St Mauvee's Well is situated nearly three miles west of Skerries on Milverton Demesne. It is close to the gate lodge occupied by the herd at Margaretstown cross roads. Some people call the well Fionn Mac Cumhail's well. This name is generally shortened to Fionn' well by the natives. As it is so close to the St Mauvee's (Mobhi) cemetery it is also called St Mauvee's well. The well is situated in a grotto about fifty yards from the ruins of the old church and to the rear of it. It is approached by a flight of steps which are well preserved and which descend to a depth of eight or ten feet. There is a mound of stones at the head of the well and judging by their setting and appearance these were the setting for a statue until recent years. There is a hollow stone like a Holy Water font set in the wall about four feet over the level of the well itself. The water which is contained in this hollow stone is supposed to contain a cure. Strangers when visiting the well often emptied the hollow stone and returned after a short time to find that the hollow had again refilled. Other people when visiting the well who had little belief in its curative powers often dried the water out but eventually it would refill. The well is surrounded by very large stones. On one huge stone which overhangs the well there is the imprint of a man's hands still to be seen. Tradition says it was thrown from Lusk by Fionn. In the middle of St Mauvee's cemetery there is still to be seen the foundation stones of his church. It is supposed to have been founded about 600 A.D. It is hard to tell what size

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Kathleen Halpin

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Margaretstown, Co. Dublin