This article is from page 59 of the 2008-08-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 59 JPG
WHILE August 15 has certain sig- nificant for Irish Catholics as it is the holy day the Assumption, for the people of west Clare it has long been associated with nine days devotion to the mother of Jesus.
This devotion centres around a holy well situated in Tubridy’s field between Cree and Cooraclare village in the townland of Dromelihy.
From 6am on this day people from Loop Head to Lisseycasey and Kildysart to Miltown Malbay can be seen walking barefoot and with shoes, in groups and alone, sitting and standing all praying intensely.
When the well first became a cen- tre of prayer remains a mystery, as are some of the stories associated
velo Le
One of the best-known pieces of folklore or fact – depending on your belief – is the overnight recovery of a man on crutches.
‘There was a tradition where peo- ple used to go to the well the night before the 15th and stay the night. They would sleep there,” said Mar- tin Queally – a man who remembers the well always playing a part in the lives of the locals.
On one of those fateful nights, the story goes that an unknown man lay down to sleep with his crutches by his side.
That morning he woke up and walked away from the well leaving lord OUD ANG MU SlomOnut Kel lene
For years later the wooden crutches were left at the well as a reminder.
Martin is regarded by many as somewhat of an authority on the lo- cal monument.
“It has always been there. I am 70 plus and when I was young the old people all remembered it as being Wolken
‘There is no recorded date for when people first started going there,” he ALOR
“Some improvements were made in the 1840s by a man named John Quinn from Caherfeenick. There is a stone in the wall behind Our Lady asking for prayers for him. It is not recorded exactly what was done,’ said Martin.
During the Marian Year, 1954, more improvement works were car- ried out and in the past 20 years the well committee have continued to
build on that work.
The hard working committee have added a shelter for Mass, toilet fa- cilities and a prayer room where the sacrament is exposed during the nine day of services.
For the first time Mass was held at 3pm on the opening day last Friday.
Mass will take place at the well to- night, Thursday and Friday at 8pm, with the closing Mass at 10 am on Saturday.
A special Mass will be held on to- morrow (Wednesday) at 3pm.
Many people will also do the “rounds”, which will see them pray five decades of the rosary while walking the outer ring of the well, five again for the inner ring and five around the wall of the well finishing Uh OMNI Ty (6 Con