The White Hound

Today I have been mostly wrestling with St Fionnchú, or St Fanahan as he is also known! He was quite a bloke and has a rather nice holy well dedicated to him in Michelstown, feast day 25th November. He was not your ordinary saint but was chucked out of Bangor Abbey for being a bit fiery and sent on his way, equipped with a bell which would ring when he arrived at his new destination - yes, Mitchelstown and there bell rang without human hand! Almost immediately a bad king arrived and asked him to swop his bad soul for Fionnchú's good one. Fionnchú agreed but then had to earn back his place in Heaven. He chose to have 7 sickles made by 7 smiths and then he was hoisted up by them and left for 7 years! Occasionally he was let down to go off and fight a battle for he was a ferocious warrior - so ferocious his teeth would gnash and cause sparks to fly, setting his enemies spear son fire! His crozier was also known as  Cennachathach which means Head Battler for obvious reasons!  I love these two very different sculptures of him - on the left rather dainty slippers and hand raised in blessing (though quite an odd expression on his face) and on the right, the beefy muscular saint, Head Battler at the ready. The well is squeezed in between the two. We were delighted to be told that he was patron saint of Blow-Ins, good to have him on your side. His name by the way means White Hound! And if you see an eel in the water, that's him - guaranteed great good fortune.

It is of course International Holy Well Month. Some people are doing exceptionally well, but we could do with a few more entries please. What better way to spend a weekend?? Don't answer that.

And apparently all sorts of astronomical events are going on tonight starting off with a Snow Moon, followed by a penumbra  lunar eclipse then the arrival of a comet. Info here