Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/60

52 There are two holy wells, they are resorted to by the inhabitants who go there to pray and perform certain penances; these are either voluntary or imposed by the priest At one of these, called "Tubber Art," there used to be a large assemblage of people accompanied by tents, pipers, fiddlers, liquors, and everything necessary to celebrate the festival of the patron; but on account of the excesses committed there the priest put a stop to them Many of the people who frequent these wells will assure you that they possess a miraculous virtue, and perform the same cures on the blind, lame, and impotent folk who try them as the pool of Bethesda had formerly done.

The common people believe that their priests have a power of performing the like miracles by prayers and charms which they use; and they not only call on them when one of the family happens to be afflicted with sickness to perform "an office" as they call it for the sick person, but they also bring the priest to perform the same ceremony for a cow, horse, or a pig if any of these should be taken ill. They believe also that their clergy can cure the epilepsy or falling sickness, and they obtain from them what they called "Lour Oens," which means the Gospel of St. John, and consists of the first verse of that book written on a bit of paper, and sewed up in a small piece of cloth, sanctified by the priest's benediction and hung about the person's neck This, they believe, will preserve them from the complaint, and also protect them from the power of demons and witches, which they believe to have still the power of afflicting the human race with convulsions, madness, and similar maladies.—(Vol. ii. pp. 369-370.)

Kilkredane, county Clare.

There is a well in one of the cliffs here dedicated to Credan Neapha, "the Sanctified Credun"; it is remarkable for curing sore eyes and restoring rickety children to health, on which account great numbers of people resort to it in summer.—(Vol. ii. p. 435.)

Inniscattery, county Clare.

The traditionary account of Senanus at Kilrush is this:—He was born at Mologha, on the site of the present ruined church, which was erected in honour of him. Before he was baptised his mother took