Sunday 23 July 2023

St Kevin's Well (Bullaun Stone) near Clonmel


Known as St Kevin's Well in the Schools Manuscripts, it is actually a bullaun stone rather than a spring well.

I visited this years ago and only just happened upon this folklore related to it recently.

"Rath-Caoimhighin, which means Rathkevin or the Fort of Kevin is situated about four miles from Clonmel and six miles from Cahir and is reached by a field from the main road.

It is a thickly wooded fort surrounded by a white thorn hedge. It was supposed to have been the abode of the Danes in olden times and was protected from enemies by a Moat, and inside the Moat was a wall. A drawbridge was placed over the moat and on the side fo the moat was an iron gong and beneath it a stout club.

When people came to it they struck the gong with the club and the people inside heard it and looked out to see whether it was a friend or an enemy. If a friend they raised the portcullis and let fall the bridge. There was a saint named Kevin living there, hence the name Rath-Caoimhighin. There is an obling stone with a hole in the middle, which is always filled with water, it is said that it never went dry, On this stone is the print of the saints hands and knees, where he used to pray every day. The water in this stone is supposed to cure warts on people's hands. This saint died in the fort, and was buried there."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922227/4862584/5020939


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