St. Catherines Well — Allenstown Big

Located in a level landscape, it was the source of a small stream (L c. 1km) that ran SE to the head of Lady’s Island Lough that was known as Lough Togher in the 17th century. A well is marked on the 1839 and 1940 eds of the OS 6-inch map and described in gothic lettering on both as ‘St. Catherine’s Well’. According to John O’Donovan writing c. 1840 it was no longer visited at that time and he does not provide a pattern day (O’Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 303). Hore (1949, 48-9) thought that the well was named after the patron of the parish, St. Iberius, or Iobhar of Begerin (WX038-004001-). The well is no longer extant but is described locally as a spring that had not been venerated. The saint is probably St. Catherine of Alexandria. She was a 4th century savant who converted some pagan philosophers. When persecuted on a rack the wheels miraculously fell off the machine – hence she is always represented with a wheel. Eventually she was burned by her persecutors. Her remains were discovered in Egypt in the 8th century and miraculously translated to Mt. Sinai where her monastery continues to this day. Some of her relics came to Europe in the 11th century, resulting in the popularisation of her cult. In 1969 she was removed from the Calendar by the Roman Catholic Church because the details of her life were so obscure, but she was restored in 2002. (Butler, Rev. A 1883, 169) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 2 January, 2013