| Holy Wells
© St Bernard's Well
In the parish of Rathkeale lies St Beinid's well. This well is sometimes
called St Benedict's well, and according to Danaher it may be one and
the same well as St Bernard's.
St Bernard's well is a large clear pool of water that is surrounded by
ash trees. There are many different springs in the well that bubble up
visibly into the pool, and locals say that the well has never dried up
'even in the warmest of summers'. The well is on the land of the Keating
family and John Keating donated the altar that stands in the church ruin
of St Beinid. Large crowds still visit the well on August 20th, the feast
day of St Bernard, and on Good Friday.
It is claimed that water from the well can cure rheumatism, lameness
and sore eyes. Rags can still be seen tied to the trees behind the well.
Danaher also tells us that sometimes nails were driven into the trees
as an offering. As with a large majority of wells in Limerick, legend
says that the well moved when clothes were washed in it.
In the townland of Cloghanarold, there was a Holy Well called Tobernawatha.
This well used to be in the parish of Doondonnell. It was situated about
400 yards from the ruins of Doondonnell church. Begley believed that the
well was dedicated to St Molua. The location of the well is now unknown.
Shrine
© Shrine in Rathkeale
As you leave the town of Rathkeale, there is a shrine to
the Virgin Mary that was erected in the Marian year of 1954.
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