Last September, I was early for a meeting in Mitchelstown so stopped to walk to St. Fanahan’s Well. As you might have gathered from previous posts, Holy Wells intrigue me – the possible incorporation of Pagan rituals in Christian religious practices; the cures believed to be as a result of his intervention; and the continued observance of the tradition.
In September, it was a pleasant morning walk down the tree lined path and around the well.
Last Friday, driving back from Co. Kildare with a head cold after a long tiring day, made longer by road works diversions, I stopped again at St Fanahan’s Well – it being within seven days of the feast day. From the time I started walking down the path to my return, I passed about ten people – this being at about 6.00 p.m., dark and wet.
The straightness of the path, especially when lit, is a sight. The tall trees that surround the Well area gathered the soft rain into larger drops which fell from the trees to give the sound of heavier rain that actually fell.
I walked around the path clockwise as practised by those there before me, but the prayers and rosary are not of my religious persuasion so were not said.
The tall straight trees call out to be touched.
Before the M8 Mitchelstown by-pass, it must have offered an extremely peaceful and atmospheric chill-out time. The road traffic noise did impinge on my efforts to clear the head.