Tobar Bríghde
When St Brigid was touring Ireland, she arrived at the Banks of the Bride - a river near Cill Cré Abbey, Co. Cork. There she met a very Holy man who told her that he was going to live the life of a Hermit on a lonely island off the coast of the parish of Myross between the harbours of Glandore and Castlehaven. She accompanied him on his journey and when they arrived in Myross, they were taken by boat to the island.
Having travelled round this 17acre island the man felt sad at the absence of fresh water, but St Brigid told him to dig a small hole in the ground and she made the sign of the Cross over it three times. Immediately water sprung up from the ground and the well became famous as a place of pilgrimage. The island became known locally as Óileán Bhríde or Biddy’s Island. In later years it was reported that a Cromwellian settler unhappy with its name rechristened it Rabbit Island. However, it still retains its Gaelic name.
In olden times huge crowds travelled from far and near, from Limerick and Kerry to visit the well especially people who had problems with their eyes and it was even reported that people came from as far away as America. They would arrive in the evening and spend the whole night praying at the well. In order to acquire a cure, they had to recite certain prayers.
Signs of cures
- Legend has it that there is a fish in the well and that any pilgrim visiting the well who sees the fish will be cured of whatever ailment she or he may have.
- If the water bubbles up in the direction of the patient it is a sign that he or she will be cured. People who have seen this phenomenon tell us that the water moves around the well the same way as water boiling in a kettle and then it jumps up four or five feet over the well.
Stories associated with the well
- One day a local landlord took his horse to the well for a drink but the horse refused to drink but he spent a half an hour drinking from the stream which was near the well.
- Not alone did horses refuse to drink from the well but likewise cattle
- Another story goes that an “old bodach” (an ignorant clown) who lived on the island had a blind donkey and on a particular day he took his donkey to the well and pushed his head into the waters. The donkey was cured instantly but the old bodach went blind on the spot.
Move to the Mainland
After many years the well moved miraculously to the townland of Ardra on the mainland. Two different reasons have been given to explain this phenomenon:
- People were drowned in a boating accident while retuning from their pilgrimage to the well
- Well was desecrated by the actions of some of those visiting.
Whatever the reason for the change we are told what happened after one or other of these events “The morning after when the islanders woke up the well had disappeared. The old people said that it was carried across the sea to the mainland with the “Amhscarbach” in a cloud of fog. It is now situated at the bottom of the hill known as Druim na Cille. overlooking the island”
The numbers visiting have dropped significantly over the years especially since the custom of allowing children off early from school, on February 1st, to visit it has ceased. The depopulation of many of the local townlands due to death and immigration also added to the decline in local customs and traditions. However, there are still people around who, faithfully year in year out, maintain the path down the steep incline.
In memory of the Saint both the church and the local school are named after the saint.
