Ballylongford day 3

The reason, or one of them, for our rendezvous was to visit the pattern at Lady’s Well Ballyheigue for it is the BVM’s birthday and a good day for visiting wells! I had been about six years ago and C had been around 20 years ago and we were gob-smacked. I reckon nearly 500 people, from every age and background, attended an open air mass but what I loved was how the well and the water (and the BVM) were the focal points. After mass, everyone surged towards the well - huge bottles of water were gathered, children were sprinkled with it, elderly ladies took gentile sips, sick people were brought close to it and babies were blessed. There was a cheerful holiday air combined with  utmost devotion and sincerity. Remarkable.
We had time for one more well  - one which was down an incredibly steep and rutted hill where I feared that my car may not get up but St Dahalin was watching over me and the car had not a bother.
(Car report - zipping along but still occasionally making  a noise it should not be).

We then parted ways - C off to Galway for another pattern day and me home. What a great rendezvous  - marvellous to talk solid wells for three days!