The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for geographic features. (July 2024) |
Lady's Well (Irish: Tobar Mhuire)[1] is a holy well dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the townland of Ballyda in the civil parish of Danesfort, County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is included in the Record of Monuments and Places under record number "KK023-075----".[2]
The holy well once gave its name to the local area, and the nearby school (now ruinous) was known as Ladyswell School.[citation needed]
As of the late 20th century, a pattern was still celebrated at this holy well on 15 August each year, to mark the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.[1]
Folklore
editThere are a number of stories about Lady's Well in the Dúchas.ie "Schools' Collection", including several which refer to apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the well.[3][4][5] One account tells of a woman whose eyes were cured after bathing her eyes in the water repeatedly.[3][6]
Some folkloric tales mention stones spotted with blood,[3][5][7] a theme common to stories of other holy wells.[8] The origin of the blood at Lady's Well is given as coming from a priest who was killed there by soldiers while saying mass.[9] In one account, the leaves of nearby hawthorn bushes are also covered in spots of blood.[5]
According to the folklore recorded in the Schools' Collection, the water collected in this holy well will not boil[5] – another common theme in stories about holy wells.[8]
References
edit
- ^ a b O'Kelly, Owen (1985). The Place-Names of County Kilkenny (PDF). p. 180 – via kilkennyarchaeologicalsociety.ie.
Ballyda [..] Tobar Mhuire, Our Lady's Well, still frequented on the 15th of August for devotional purposes is west of a large rath
- ^ "KK023-075---- : Ritual site - holy well : BALLYDA". Historic Environment Viewer. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
According to the OS Letters (1839), 'There is a holy well called Lady's Well in the Townland of Ballyda, much venerated still and frequented on the 15th of August
- ^ a b c "Holy Wells". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Holy Wells". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Our Holy Wells". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Penal Days". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Holy Wells". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ a b Ó Dálaigh, Pádraigh (2018). The Holy Wells of County Kilkenny in terms of documentary coverage, location, ritual practice and onomastic concept, vol. I (Thesis). p. 109, 110.
It was believed locally, for example, that the water of certain wells could not be boiled for domestic purposes [..] red-stained stones situated at or beside holy wells were often believed to be the blood stains of martyr-like clerical persons
- ^ "A Story of the Penal Days". duchas.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.