Maureen's Bar

Just back from a very active three days in darkest north Cork - 16 wells investigated, 13 found. We were staying in a chalet in someone's garden -somewhat bijou and badly designed and on thursday night the rain was torrential and the noise on the tin roof deafening. Friday the weather was appalling but we sallied forth nonetheless. Lots of adventures, some astonishing wells discovered and some delightful encounters. The best was searching for a well in the graveyard in Charleville. I asked man who directed me to the chap responsible for cutting the grass - Paudie. He had never heard of a holy well in the graveyard but wait a moment, he knew someone who might.The phone was out, someone was contacted and then he looked at me in amazement - there is one, it's behind you! It was a sorry little well but Paudie then recalled all the wells he had visited in north Cork, and it was a lot. I also amazed Connie who was having his dinner but showed me the most incredible well in his field, a huge beech tree now engulfing it. No one had ever visited the well before in his memory but I was welcome to go and take photos whenever I wanted! And there was also the nice man driving a tractor who took us off to see St Declan's well, now boasting a smart stainless steel wellhouse. Pix of those when I've sorted myself out!

We stayed near Doneraile which is a bit of a one horse town, but has the most amazing park designed by Capability Brown, which you are free to wander around, and an excellent café. Today we went to find St Branit's well next to the wonderfully named Castle Curious - see extras. This involved a long, nettly and muddy trail down - the well is near the foot of the elm tree and the corrugated iron was once a little shelter full of offerings (himself found a bit of broken mug and a tiny Jesus). Castle curious was built by a well know eccentric Johnny Roche and it's now for sale (130,000 euro) ! Himself has captured a bit of rootling about in the undergrowth!

We ended up in Buttevant where the flags were out (big match in Cork) but not much else was happening. Buttevant is a very odd place - full of fascinating ruins, renown for its horse fair, and 3 very obscure holy wells which we ran out of puff before finding. I got sidetracked by Maureen's Bar.