Holy well in Courtaparteen

At the base of an ivy-covered roadside rocky field boundary on the SW side of the road leading to Courtaparteen church (CO125-021002-) and graveyard (CO125-021001-). Water emerges from fissured rock at the back of a roughly concave depression (Wth 0.8m; H 0.85m; D 0.6m) in the rock face and forms a well which overflows on to the side of the road. Religious objects and coins are displayed on the rock surface at the back of the well. According to local information, water from the holy well is said to cure warts and sore eyes. Another holy well (CO125-028----) is c. 50m to the E. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009 Images provided by and copyright of Amanda Clarke 2016-2022 https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/

This holy well is associated with Saint Gobnait, a 6th-century Irish saint known for her healing powers and protection of bees; local tradition holds that the water was once used to cure ailments and that visitors would pray for health and fertility. The well’s location near a church and graveyard suggests its long-standing role in both Christian and pre-Christian ritual practices.