Killincooly Beg

St Machain's holy well

I first became aware of this holy well on the facebook page of Folklore.ie, a superb web site based on the folklore collection of Michael Fortune. Most Irish Saints are known under several different names, St Machain / Mochain according to Michael Moore, archaeology.ie, was also known as St Mochonóg. He was an Anglo-Saxon Saint who is thought to have founded a monastery at Kilmuckridge. A kissing gate, pictured below, leads you to a second gate, to the right of the old graveyard, this graveyard can be seen from the roadway. A 100 metre walk through woodland takes you to a small white-washed well-house, this was probably built in 1921 when the well was restored. Several votive offerings can be found hanging from a stone cross that sits on top of the well house.

Traditionally water from the well was said to cure warts and headaches. A few curing stones associated with the well and a cresset stone, can be found in the old graveyard. I will try to get some pictures of these stones on my next visit.