School: Toames, Maghcromtha (roll number 15478)

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1. Story about St Abbey's Church at Ballyvourney (continued)

   

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   be removed. By all accounts, this version is quite true.

   Many other stories are told about it. Long ago, some pagan people of the time wanted to build a temple of their own further down the valley and when they had some portion of it built, Saint Abbey flung the bowl in the direction of their building and immediately their work proved all in vain as the foundation levelled out again as if it had never been laid there. Each time they attempted it, it had a similar result.

   Saint Abbey at one time possessed a swarm of bees, and it is recorded that some time after her death a poor widow was deprived of her cattle one day. She followed the bailiffs and the cattle, continually praying to Saint Abbey. As they journeyed onward, the Saint's swarm of bees appeared and stung and blinded the bailiffs until they were quite helpless and could no longer defend themselves or the cattle. As a result, the cattle made their own way home. Thus, were the cattle of that poor widown restored to her through the intercession of Saint Abbey

   There is another story told about how a thief stole a horse from Saint Abbey on a certain night and thought he had travelled miles away whilst he was only travelling around the Church all night until morning.

   There is a holy well in Ballyvourney and the image of Saint Abbey engraved on the wall and in nearly every few paces that you would travel around the Holy Well you could find relics of the holy Saint. The holy places are visited by many pilgrims from far and near

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Denis Lane

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Mountmusic, Co. Cork