School: Edenderry (B.)

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1. St Columcille's Well

   

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   There is a holy well near Edenderry named St Columcille's well. There is a very old story attached to it. There are two versions to the story but the one that is mostly believed among the inhabitants of Edenderry is the one I am about to relate. It is alleged that one day St Columcille was walking through a bog with some other priests. He was very thirsty and seeing a little cottage by the way he went in and asked the woman of the house for a drink of water. The woman received him kindly but she said that she was afraid she could only give him bog-water to drink as there was not a well round there. St Columcille took the water and drank it and then he told the woman that she would never be short of spring-water again. When he was going he struck the ground with his staff and a fountain of lovely fresh water spurted forth from the ground. It is called by the same name which that family put on it down to this day. Years later it was found that this well had the power of curing blindness and other diseases and a pilgrimage was formed to visit this well every year. But one time the land came into the possession of a Protestant who decided to do his best to stop the Pilgrimage to the well.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
         1. saints
            1. Colm Cille (~265)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Dermot Mathews

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Edenderry, Co. Offaly

   Informant

   Tom Usher

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Derries, Co. Offaly