Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/234

 2 26 A. IV. Moore.

however, was discovered some weeks after on the shore at Port Erin, three miles away.^

There was formerly a well at the Nunnery, near Douglas, dedicated to St. Bridget, which, said Waldron, in 1726, " has been, notwithstanding the many extraordinary pro- perties ascribed to it, of late suffered to dry up".-

Another famous well is that of Chibbyj^ Katreeney (" Catherine's Well"), at Port Erin, where many a wonderful cure is declared to have been effected. This well is now covered by a pump. There is a second well, dedicated to the same saint, on the Colby Fair ground, about two miles inland from Port Erin, which is also renowned for the cure of diseases.

At Chibbyr Unjin (" Ash-tree Well"), in the parish of Marown, there is said to have been an ash-tree, formerly, on which rags were hung by those who resorted to the well. There is a well of the same name near Ballabeg, in the parish of Malew. The water of both these wells is said to be good for diseases generally.

Near Baldwin village, in the parish of Malew, is a well called CJiibbyr Uney, which is probably a corruption of Chibbyr Runey, St. Runy, or Runius, being the patron saint of the parish of Marown, which was called after him. It is interesting in this connexion to note that the parish of Marown at this point projects a long narrow strip right into the parish of Braddan, seemingly for the purpose of enclosing this well in its limits, as it is only a few yards from the boundary of the two parishes. Its water is supposed to be a marvellous cure for sore eyes. An educated Manxman, now living, told the writer that it had completely cured his brother, who was nearly blind, and that he himself, when his eyes were weak, had received great benefit from it. He simply took some of the water home in a bottle to bathe his eyes,and did not condescend to go through the ordinary ritual, which consisted, as usual, in

1 Rhys, MS. note.

2 Manx Society's Publications, vol. xi, p. 46.