Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/453

 Collectanea. 425

surely not without cause, | " There is no use putting a stoppage on Jesus."

Trees. — The Elder.

The elder or " bore " tree is beheved to have been the tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself. The proof of which is the fact that its leaves have an "ugly smell," and, moreover, that its fruit has since degenerated from its original size and excellent flavour, and become worthless both as to size and taste. (Peter F.\ughnan, Mohill, Leitrim, and also in Waterford and the south.)

A Miraculous Well in Co. Watei-ford.

There is a holy well at Knockgarron which in old times was in a different place, about three-quarters of a mile from its present site. And this was how the change came about. It used to be so famous for curing eye diseases and ailments that people came from all parts to cure themselves. Now a squireen living near the place had a blind horse, and one day he ordered the horse- boy to lead it to the well and use the water. The lad refused, but the owner would insist on testing the effect of the water on the blind animal. Marvellous to relate, the horse at once re- covered his sights but next day the gentleman became stone blind. The well also sunk down into the ground and became dry, but later on it was discovered flowing forth where it is now to be found.

Aliraculous Cures at a Sainfs Grave.

At Ardmore, Co. Waterford, in the churchyard of the ancient and most interesting ruined abbey, they show a spot where it is said St. Declan, the founder, was buried. It is walled round, but inside the soil has been excavated to a considerable depth. The custodian of the place sold the earth for the cure of sick people.

At Dromahaire Abbey, in the Co. Sligo, many years ago, I watched a man saying his prayers in a portion of the sacred enclosure. When he rose from his knees he took an iron spoon that lay under a slab covering a grave, and put his arm into a hole up to the shoulder and drew up a spoonful of the clay. This he